The Breeding of the Australian Swamp-Quail. 363



THE BREEDING OF THE AUSTRALIAN SWAMP-


QUAIL.


Syncecus australis.


By D. Seth-Smith, F.Z.S.


As might be expected in a species with so wide a range as

the whole Continent of Australia, the Swamp or Brown Quail is

subject to a certain amount of variation, and Gould considered

that three distinct species existed on the mainland and a fourth

in Tasmania. His S. diemenensis, the Tasmanian form he des¬

cribed as “ fully a third larger than the Synoicus australis ,” with

the markings of the upper surfaces more numerous and varied.

6*. sordidus was described by him as differing from its congeners

“ in the absence of any variety in the markings of its plumage,

in lieu of which all the feathers of the upper surface have a

broad bluish-grey stripe down the middle.” His .S', cervinus , the

so-called Northern Swamp Quail he distinguished by its small

size and more delicate and sandy-buff colouring. From a careful

study of the large series of specimens in the British Museum

Mr. Ogilvie-Grant considers it clear that the characters on which

Gould relied are mere differences due to age and sex, and that

all the forms are merely stages of plumage of one and the same

species. Mr. A. J. Campbell, on the other hand, remarks: “If

ornithological geography counts for anything, Gould’s northern

varietjg N. cervinus , may be distinguished by its more delicate

and sandy-buff colouring, the eggs being invariably of a uniform

dull or cream-white, without markings, while the western variety,

•S', sordidtis, is altogether a more sombre-coloured bird, and has

reddish legs instead of yellowish, as in the other varieties. I

think the fact of 6". sordidus possessing different coloured legs is

at least some evidence in favour of keeping that bird separate.”


Probably as soon as the coming system of tri-nomial

nomenclature is thoroughly established, as it is bound to be

before long, the three local races will be subspecifically dis¬

tinguished, the northern birds, which are the smallest, as N.

australis cervimis and the western as N. a. sordidus , while the

typical specimens from the south will be S. a. australis; but



