OF VICTORIA. 211 



-Seven to twelve ; ground colour tawny, heavily 

 marked with coarse blotches and spots of dense brown. 

 Shape, swollen oval. The markings vary considerably ia 

 density and distribution ; so much so that eggs in the 

 collection of our fellow-naturalist, Mr. Charles French, jun., 

 would scarcely be referable to the same species when 

 compared with those in my collection. Length, 1*15 inches ; 

 breadth, 0'9 inch. 



PAINTED QUAIL, 



Turiiix varia, Lath. 



Tur'niks vari-a. 

 Turnix, a genus of Hemipodes {i.e., one or more toes absent, half- 

 footed), from coturnix, a quail ; varius, spotted. 



Hemipodius varius, Gould, "Birds of Australia," foL, vol. v., 



pi. 82. 



Geographical Distribution. — Areas 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9. 



Key to the Species. — Adult male has chest buff, irregularly 

 spotted and marked with grey ; no rufous nuchal collar, but 

 otherwise the upper surface similar to that of adult female. 



Adult female has chest grey, each feather with a pale buff 

 or whitish shaft streak, becoming more or less spatulate to- 

 wards the margin ; feathers surrounding eye black, spotted 

 with white ; has a fairly defined bright rufous nuchal collar, 

 each feather narrowly barred with rufous. Bill stouter than in 

 male . 



All the Turnices are Hemipodes (half-footed, i.e., no hind 

 toe), but all the Hemipodii are not Turnices. This is 

 owing to the one exception (Plain Wanderer) having its 

 foot whole-toed. 



The Painted Quail is one of the button quails, which are 

 strong in number and species on the eastern side of the 



