TUENIX CASTANOTUS. 



CHESTNUT-BACKED TURN IX. Genus: Turnix. 



THE only specimens of this variety were obtained in the northern and north-western parts of 

 Australia. 



Notes compiled by Gilbert show that the species inhabits the sides of stony rises ; they move 

 in coveys of from fifteen to thirty. When disturbed, they seldom rise together, but run along the 

 ground, only Hying when hard pressed and alighting in a short distance. They run in a perfectly erect 

 position, with the head thrown high, and this attitude gives their gait an awkward waddling motion 

 which is most comical. The stomach is extremely muscular, and in those dissected were found seeds, 

 with a large proportion of pebbles. 



The back of the head is a blue-grey ; cheeks, faint brown, with strong black markings behind 

 the eye ; back, shoulders, and tail are a rich chestnut, with fine black and white spots on the shoulders, 

 and a boldly-marked line of feathers margined with a deeper chestnut running down the back ; wing 

 feathers edged with white, inside which is a black strip ; primaries, brown, with circular markings of buff ; 

 centre of the abdomen and under tail-coverts, buff ; irides, light yellow ; bill, greyish-yellow ; nude skin 

 round the eye, dirty grey ; tarsi and feet, yellow. 



Length, 7 inches ; bill, ^ inch ; wing, 3^ inches ; tarsi, 1 inch. 



Habitats : Northern and north-western parts of Australia. 



TUKNIX VAKIUS (Vieiiht). 



VARIED TURNIX. Genus: Turnix. 



THIS variety is common in Tasmania, where it is larger than in the more northern colonies, and where 

 it frequents low stony hills ; in New South Wales and Victoria it may be seen in almost any part 

 of a like dry gravelly nature. Its rlesh is not so delicate as that of the Coturnix Pectoralis and Syno'icus 

 Australia, but still it is not by any means to be despised by the sportsman. Specimens from West 

 Australia are smaller in size and different in markings, and Gould was of opinion that they might turn 

 out to be a different species. Like the foregoing species, they run in an awkward grotesque fashion, though 

 rapidly, and fly low and straight when they rise. The sexes are alike in colour, but the female is again 

 found to be much larger than the male. Its note is a loud mournful cry repeated many times. The young 

 resemble very closely the Quails and Partridges, and are able to run and feed as soon as hatched. The 

 first coat is soon lost, giving place to feathers closely resembling but less gaudy than those of the 

 full-grown bird. 



The food consists of insects, grain, etc., the former in the shape of locusts and grasshoppers is 

 preferred ; the gizzard is extremely muscular, and large quantities of sand and fine gravel are taken to aid 

 in digestion. 



