on the Spotted Ground-bird. 15 1


Alas for the fallibility of human judgment, for as the bird settled

down and began to peck about I saw that it was a Dove.


All this time my wooden friend had kept to the ground,

declining some quite low perches which I considered it ought to

have perched upon; roosting time came, however, and it

promptly Slew up to the highest perch, along ■which it ran with

the nimbleness of a squirrel, and I shouted with joy—A Touraco.

Instinctively I glanced downwards but, alas! instead of the

semi-zygodactyle foot I saw three long toes forward and one

backwards, with large blunt thick strongly curved claws; and it

had too a straight slim bill, absolutely diverse from the short

thick bill of the Touraco.


That night I had to retire and confess myself beaten, and

also during the following day. It certainly did occur to me that

“Ground-Thrush” might have been intended and I flew to

Geocichla —but Geocichla did not respond. However, on the

second day, while turning over the leaves of Wood’s “ Birds,” I

came on a capital wood-cut of my friend. The value of illus¬

trations in a work on Birds was fully demonstrated.


The species is called by Wood, The Spotted Ground

Thrush or Ground Dove, and the former of these names is, or

was, applied to it in the Natural History Museum. Thi's bird is

not a Thrush, and is remarkably uu-Thrush-like. The generic

name “Ground-Thrush” has been very commonly accepted for

birds of the genus Geocichla*, and to apply it to Cinclosoma is

confusing and senseless ; names should be used which are appro¬

priate and convey a definite meaning. In Campbell’s Nests and

Eggs of Australian Birds the name of “ Ground-bird ” is used

for this genus, and should be adopted in this country.


Let me turn to the Rev. J. G. Wood’s “ Birds,” p. 343, and

quote a few words :—


“ Australia possesses a curious and valued specimen of this

group, which is popularly called the Spotted Ground Thrush, or

Ground Dove.



A coloured plate of a rare and handsome member of this genus is ready, and will

be published very shortly.—R. P.



