154 NOTE-BOOK OF A NATURALIST. 



same tints prevail on the under surface as on the upper, 

 but are much lighter, with a tinge of yellow, and each 

 feather of the under parts has a scale-like appearance, 

 produced by a crescent- shaped dark-brown border at its 

 extremity. The irides are of a deeper blue than those 

 of the male, and there is only an indication of the red 

 ring. The bill is of a dark horn-colour ; and the feet 

 are of a yellowish-white hue, tinged with horn-colour. 



The young males closely resemble the females, with 

 this difference, that the hue of the under surface is of a 

 more greenish yellow, and the crescent-shaped markings 

 more numerous. The iiides are dark blue, the feet 

 olive brown, and the bill blackish olive. 



These birds, the male being in its transition-suit, may 

 be seen at the garden of the Zoological Society, where 

 they have a bower, and where I have had the pleasure 

 of watching them. But I must break off for the present, 

 though much more remains to be noticed with regard to 

 this most interesting group, and other temptations crowd 

 upon my pen. The hippopotamus — thanks to his power- 

 ful highness the Viceroy of Egypt, who saith to a man 

 ' Go, and he goeth ;' and to good, zealous, indefatigable, 

 disinterested Mr. Murray — is delighting multitudes of 

 eager spectators, who crowd to the Regent's Park to see 

 this most healthy, good-humoured, rolHcking, pachyder- 

 matous baby of five hundred pounds' weight, that has 

 come from a distance of five thousand miles to see and 

 be seen : for he appears to be as pleased with his visitors 

 as they are with him. The thylacines — shapes such as 

 one sees in dreams — as yet so shy and wild that they 

 dash with horror from the sight of a human face, and 

 remain sulkily in their dormitory, are arrived to add to 

 our notions of Australian wonders. The Egyptian snake- 

 charmers are come. 



July, 1850. 



