GRALLATOllES. 325 



The nest, which is very similar to that of the Moorhen, is 

 formed of a bundle of ruslics placed on the border of the 

 stream : the eggs, which are also similar to that of the 

 Moorhen, are seven in number, two inches and an eighth 

 long, one inch and a half broad, and of a stone-colour, marked 

 all over with thinly dispersed, irregularly shaped, and vari- 

 ously sized spots and blotches of dark chestnut-brown. 



The sexes are alike in appearance, but the female is some- 

 what smaller and less brilliant in colour than the male. 



All the upper surface greyish olive, washed with chestnut- 

 brown on the head, back of the neck, back, and the tips of 

 the secondaries ; primaries blackish brown ; tail deep black ; 

 under surface bluish slate-colour, passing into black on the 

 abdomen and under tail-coverts ; flank-feathers largely tipped 

 with white, forming a conspicuous mark on each side ; thighs 

 purplish grey ; irides orange-red ; bill greenish yellow ; legs 

 and feet leaden yellow, 



Sp. 566. TRIBONYX VENTRALIS, Gould. 

 Black-tailed Tribonyx. 



Gallinula ventralis, Gould iu Proc. of Zool. Soc, part iv. p. 85. 

 Tribonyx ventralis, Gould in App. to Grey's Trav. iu Australia, vol. ii. 



p. 420. 

 Bel-gar-h'e-jal, Aborigines of the lowland, and 



Nol-yang, Aborigines of the mountain districts of Western Australia. 

 Moorhen of the Colonists. 



Tribonyx ventralis, Gould, Birds of Australia, fol., vol. vi. pi. 72. 



Since my attention has been directed to the ornithology of 

 Australia, I have received this species from every part of the 

 country southward of the 25th degree of south latitude, but I 

 have not yet seen it from any part of Tasmania, that country 

 being in all probability too cold and ungenial for its habits. 



Although in outward contour and general appearance this 

 bird bears a great resemblance to the Gallinules or Water- 



