288 Lloyd's natural history. 



stony hills in coveys of from fifteen to thirty in number ; when 

 disturbed, they seldom rise together, but run along the ground, 

 and it is only upon being very closely pursued that they will take 

 wing, and then they merely fly to a short distance. While run- 

 ning along the ground their heads are thrown up as high as 

 their necks will permit, and their bodies being carried very 

 erect, a waddling motion is given to their gait, which is very 

 ludicrous. The stomachs of those dissected were very muscu- 

 lar, and contained seeds and a large proportion of pebbles." 



Eggs. — Differ from those of all the other species. Wide 

 ovals; ground colour white, with comparatively very few 

 rounded black dots and spots, and a few greyish under mark- 

 ings. Measurements, i'05 by o'8 inch. 



XXL THE RUFOUS-CHESTED BUSTARD-QUAIL. TURNIX 

 PYRRHOTHORAX. 



Hemipodius pyrrhothorax^ Gould, P. Z. S. 1840, p. 150 ; id. B. 



Austr. V. pi. 86 (i:848). 

 Turnix pyrrho thorax, North, Nests and Eggs B. Austr. p. 28 7 



(1889)] Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 5.33 



(1893). 

 Turnix kiuogasier, North, Ibis. 1895, p. 342. 



Adult Male. — Resembles the z.^\A\ female, but is smaller ; the 

 rust-coloured chest not so bright. Total length, 5*2 inches; 

 wing, 2-9; tail, i'3; tarsus, 075. 



Adult Female. — General colour above sfone-grey, most of the 

 leathers of the back with narrow cross-bars of rufous and black ; 

 feathers of the back of the neck rufous-grey with whitish-buff 

 edges; eyebrow-stripes, sides of face and neck white, tipped with 

 z)lack ; chest, sides of breast and flanks rufous ; middle of the 

 throat and rest of under-parts whitish. Bill very stout. Total 

 length, 6 inches; wing, 3*3 ; tail, 1*4; tarsus, 0*8. 



Range. — North-East, East and South Australia, extending 

 westwards to the interior. 



