PLATE XL VI. 



GENUS CENTROPUS. (llliger.) 



THE three species that represent this genus in Australia have a harsh and spiny kind of plumage, and one of 

 their hind toes has a lengthened spur-like claw. There is a marked difference in the plumage of the old 

 and young, the former having a prevailing black or blue tone, while the latter are brown. 



CENTROPUS PHASIANUS. CSteph.) 



PHEASANT COUCAL. Genus: Centropus. 



rpHIS species is the only one of which we have at present any definite knowledge ; its two near congeners are 

 so closely allied that it would seem as though the peculiarities of each have arisen rather from the 

 necessities of certain localities than from any inherent distinction. An argument in support of such a 



theory is the fact, that the Pheasant Coucal from the north of Queensland differs from that from New South 



Wales, in that the bill is much shorter, more arched, and smaller in size. 



The Coucals are commonly to be found in North and North-eastern Australia in such situations as suit 

 their habits. They affect swampy places among the coast brushes, where are tall grasses and deuce herbage, 

 among which they run rapidly, and if forced they fly to the lower branches of the trees, ascending higher and 

 higher in a succession of leaps till they get to the top, when they fly off to a neighbouring tree. 



In consequence of this genus being non-parasitic in its habits, it becomes necessary for the birds to 

 build nests wherein to deposit their eggs. They select a tuft of grass, and build a large dome-shaped nest of 

 dried grass, formed with two openings, through one of which the head of the female protrudes, through the other 

 the tail. The eggs are from three to five in number, very nearly round, and a dirty white colour, sometimes 

 stained with brown, and having a rather rough surface. Length, one inch four lines ; breadth, one inch 

 two lines. 



The males are always smaller than the females. The adult sexes are alike in their plumage, having the 

 bill, head, neck, and abdomen black, while the young have the bill horn-colour, and the same parts which are 

 black in the adult, of a deep brown, with a tawny stripe down the centre of each feather. 



Adult : Upper surfaces and under, dull black, with glossy black shafts ; back, wing coverts, rust brown 

 and black, each feather with a conspicuous tawny shaft ; remainder of the wing, rich reddish chesnut, with 

 irregular double bars of black; lower part of the back and upper tail coverts, deep green, freckled with black; 

 tail, dark brown, crossed with green and freckled with rufous and tawny yellow ; each feather, except two centre, 

 tipped with white ; feet, dull black ; irides, black. 



Immature bird : Head, nape, throat, and breast, brown, each feather having an ivory spine, and centre 

 of webs ivory ; middle of back, rust brown, with concentric markings of black, and ivory spines, this merges into 

 waved lines of ivory, brown, and black on the rump and upper tail coverts; tail, horizontal markings of dark 

 brown and buff ; under tail feathers, more black ; wing feathers, warm buff, pale brown, and black, deepening 

 on tertiaries, breast, and crown ; abdomen, pale straw ; thighs and vent feathers finely freckled with the three 

 colours ; iridies, red ; beak, brown, with black patch ; tarsi, black. 



Habitats: Cape York, Rockingham Bay, Port Dcnison, Wide Bay District (Queensland), Richmond 

 and Clarence River Districts (New South Wales). (Ramsay). 



