PODABGUS PHALJ5N0IDES. 



(Moth-plmnaged Fodargus.) 



PoREHEAD, buffish white, immediately in front of whicli, and overtopping the bill, is a tuft of fine lanceolate feathers of buif banded with 

 black; crown, sides of the neck, back, wings, and tail, rich reddish brown; scapularies and some of the wing coverts, tipped with white; under 

 surface, rufous grey, mottled with whitish buff ; most of the feathers of both the upper and under surface, broadly streaked with brownish 

 black, followed by a spot of whitish buff; tail, reddish brown, obscurely barred with black; in addition to the above coloring and markings 

 the whole of the plumage is minutely freckled with grey ; irides, orange ; bill, greenish horn color ; feet, yellow. 



Length, 14^ inches ; wing, 7 ; tail, 8i ; length of bill, 2 ; width of ditto at the gape. If ; tarsus, f ; middle toe. If. 



The mingled character of the markings and coloring of the Podargi renders the task of description a work of no ordinary 

 difficulty. The same characters will be found to occur again and again in others of the genus, abundantly proving that a correct figure of the 

 natural size is of more worth than any mere description, however minute. When it is borne in mind that the birds themselves vary much in 

 color, as in the present instance (many specimens of the P. Phalsenoides being more or less of a brownish grey tint), the difficulty of the 

 undertaking is still further increased, and the necessity of a good figure, as well as accurate measurements, still more apparent. This, which 

 is perhaps the smallest of the genus, is confined to the northern portions of the Australian continent. It was obtained in some plenty at 

 Port Essington by Grilbert, and recently from Cape York. The whole of the country round the Grulf of Carpentaria may be presumed to be 

 its habitat. ISTothing definite has been recorded concerning its habits, which, without doubt, assimilate to those of its congeners, whose food 

 consists for the most part of insects and annelides. 



