32 



short, twisting flight and sudden descent to the ground, in 

 order to conceal itself on being disturbed, it will, at times, 

 pass over a considerable distance in order to escape pursuit. 

 Its apparent inability to perch, is one of the most singular points 

 in its economy, for there is nothing in the formation of the 

 hallux or other toes which would incapacitate it for this mode 

 of rest, its feet being far more adapted for it, than those of 

 the Ardeidoe and Tantalidx which exhibit such a remarkable 

 aptitude for standing with great ease on the smallest twigs or 

 branches ; whether or not, therefore, it is incapable of 

 perching, is a feature yet to be determined on by future 

 observers of the bird in captivity, but as far as can be judged, 

 its natural instinct forces it entirely to resort to the ground, 

 in support of which I would mention that the district above 

 mentioned is dotted over with small clumps of dwarf pepper- 

 mint and other shrubs, into which I have several times almost 

 driven the bird, bat it invariably chose to dart round them, 

 preferring to alight in the open, among epacris and grass- 

 trees. 



The central feathers of the tail of a Victorian specimen 

 from the Carrum swamp, attain a length of 7 '2 inches, the 

 wing measuring 5, while a bird of the year from this coast 

 has these 6*5 and 4*8 respectively. Gould remarks that the 

 sexes are entirely alike, but on a casual observation even, the 

 difference in the under surface is recognisable, the male having 

 the lower pectoral region and abdomen much yellower, with 

 bars of less width than the female. The difference between 

 fully adult birds and those of the year, which have not 

 reached maturity, is also very distinct : while the iris of the 

 former is brown, this part in the latter is mottled with grey 

 and the dark markings of the throat, which in old birds are 

 mesial lines, have the shape of central spots in the immature 

 example. Young females have the lower parts of the under 

 surface with comparatively little yellow, the dark bars being 

 broad and conspicuous and the margins of the feathers dark 

 green; the frontal band is narrower than in the adult 

 male, the green of the upper surface much darker, the 

 primary quill spots less developed, and the tail darker ; the 

 lateral and central rectrices have, likewise, the yellow bars 

 narrower, showing more of the ground colour ; and, what is 

 most noteworthy, the second longest pair are uniform greenish 

 brown, without a trace of the bars which are present in the 

 adult.* The food of those I have examined consisted of small 

 seeds of grass and epacris plants. 



* From want of further examples for examination I do not know whether 

 this is a sexual peculiarity. 



