ANTIIUS AUSTRALIS. 



(Australian Fipit.) 



Upper surface, dark brown, each feather margined with rufous, especially on the shoulders and wing coverts; stripe over the eye, light buff; 

 throat, white; breast, light buff, streaked with brownish black; abdomen and under tail coverts, white; tail, brownish black, except the two 

 outer pairs of feathers, w^hich are white, bordered with black on their inner webs ; bill and feet, fleshy brown ; irides, dark brown. 



This common and familiar bird is distributed all over the continent of Australia, and is also found in Tasmania, and is, I 

 believe, the only representative of the genus Anthus at present known in Australia. Its habits much resemble the common meadow pipit of 

 Britain, It is essentially a ground bird, and runs with considerable swiftness. When disturbed, it takes a short flight and descends suddenly. 

 Its food consists of insects, worms, and seeds. It breeds from September to January. The nest is rather deep, and formed of dried grasses 

 placed in a hole in the ground, frequently in a most exposed situation, but sometimes sheltered by a tuft of grass. The eggs, three or four in 

 number, are whitish grey, spotted and freckled with dark grey : size, 11 lines by 7i lines. 



CINCLORHAMPHUS CRUEALIS. 



(Brawn CinclorhampJius.) 



♦— 



Ceowk^ and all the upper surface, sandy brown, wdth a broad central mark of deeper brown on each feather ; tail , greyish brown — the lateral 

 feathers margined with bufilsh white ; lores, brownish black; throat, deep brown, or white, or an admixture of both, forming bars ; chest and 

 flanks, greyish brown ; centre of abdomen, deep brown ; under tail coverts, dirty white, with a broad lancet-shaped streak of blackish brown 

 down the centre of each feather ; irides, hazel ; feet, light brown. The sexes diff'er much in size, the female being scarcely half the size of her 

 mate : she is similarly colored, but lighter. 



Length, 9f inches ; wing, 4i ; tail, 4i ; tarsus, 1| ; bill, 1. 



This, which is the largest of the genus, is found in various parts of New South "Wales, Yictoria, and South Australia. It 

 frequents flat grassy country, and is very similar in its habits to the European skylark, often mounting into the air and uttering its animated 

 and pleasing song. Its nest is constructed of grass, in a small hole in the ground. Eggs, four in number, bufly white, minutely freckled with 

 reddish brown, more especially at the broad end. 



CINCLOB.HAMPHIJS CANTILLANS. 



(Blach-breastecl C'mclorJia'nvpJius.) 



Ceowf, upper surface, and tail, dull brown, each feather edged with greyish bufl"; edge of the wing, whitish ; coverts, brown, margined with 

 rufous buflf; tertiaries, margined with whitish buff; a triangular spot in front of the eye, brownish black ; throat, chest, and abdomen, dark 

 brown ; thighs, greyish buflt" in front ; under tail coverts, greyish white, with a broad central mark of brown ; bill and feet, fleshy brown. 



Length, 9 inches ; wing, 4 ; tail, 4i ; bill, -§■ ; tarsus, 1|-. 



This species is found in Queensland and the northern portions of the continent. The one inhabiting Western Australia is also 

 referred to this species by Mr. Grould, who remarks that it is "smaller in size, and never so black in the breast." It will very probably be 

 found that several other species exist which have been confounded together, and which will eventually have to be separated, the variation iii 

 the plumage of these birds making it a matter of much diflSculty to decide as to the difterent species. The C. Cantillans much resembles in 

 its habits the European Bunting, rising like that bird from a bush, with a fine full note, and descending with tremulous wing to another. The 

 nest and eggs are similar to those of the former species. 



CINCLOEHAMPIIUS EUPESCENS. 



(Bitfous Tinted Cinclorhamplms.) 



Crown" and upper surface, dull brown, each feather margined with brownish grey ; upper tail coverts, light rufous brow^n ; tail, brown ; 

 wings, brown, the feathers more or less edged with greyish buff*; an obscure streak over the eye, greyish buft'; throat, dull white ; chest 

 and abdomen, light brownish grey, the upper portion of the former spotted or streaked with brown; bill, fleshy brown; feet, ashy 

 grey ; irides, hazel. 



Length, 7\ inches ; wing, 3^ ; tail, 3t ; bill, -f ; tarsus, 1. 



The whole of the colonies of Australia are frequented by this bii'd, with the exception of Tasmania. Like its congeners, the 

 male is by far the largest. It lives on the ground, and frequently makes a perpendicular ascent into the air, singing most sweetly like a 

 common skylark. It builds in similar situations to the former, but, in addition to the coarse grass which constitutes the exterior, the nest is 

 lined with fine grasses or hairs. Eggs, four in number, purplish white, freckled and marked w^ith small blotches of chestnut brown: 

 size, 10 lines by 7 lines. 



