THREE-TOED OR BUSTARD-QUAILS. 289 



Nest. — A shallow hollow lined with dry grass. 



Eg?s. — Four in number ; broad ovals ; ground colour dull 

 whitish, almost hidden by dense indistinct marking of chest- 

 nut and greyish-brown. Measurements, i-o by 077 inch. 



XXII. THE SWIFT BUSTARD-QUAIL. TURNIX VELOX. 



Hemipodius velox, Gould, P. Z. S. 1840, p. 150; id. B. Austr. 

 V. pi. 87 (1848). 



Turnix velox, Gould, Handb. Austr. B. ii. p. 184 (1865); 

 North, Nests and Eggs B. Austr. p. 286 (1889); Ogilvie- 

 Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 553 (1893). 



Adult Male. — Similar to the adult female, but rather smaller. 

 Total length, 5*5 inches; wing, 2*9 ; tail, 1*2; tarsus, o'6. 



Adult Female. — General colour above dull bright red, shading 

 into light red on the nape and crown of the head ; the mark- 

 ings very similar to those of T. pyrrhothorax ; the sides of 

 the head and chest pale light red ; the breast and rest of under- 

 parts white. Bill very stout. Total length, 5*5 inches ; wing, 

 3*3; tail, 1*2; tarsus, 07. 



Range. — Australia. 



Habits. — Mr. Gould says : — " It appears to give preference to 

 low stony ridges thinly covered with grasses, for it was in such 

 situations that I generally found it, though on some occasions 

 I started it from among the rank herbage clothing the alluvial 

 soil of the bottoms. It lies so close as to be nearly trodden 

 upon before it will rise, and when flushed flies off with such 

 extreme rapidity, as, when its small size and the intervention 

 of trees combine, to render it a most difficult shot to the 

 sportsman. On rising, it flies to the distance of one or two 

 hundred yards within two or three feet of the surface, and then 

 suddenly pitches to the ground. As might be expected, it lies 

 well to a pointer, and it was by this means that I found many 

 which I could not otherwise have started. 



" It breeds in September and October." 

 12 u 



