68 
The Kmu 
only in the afternoon of the second day's pursuit that I obtained 
a momentary glimpse of it as it rushed across a kvvagga (species 
of Wallaby) track in the scrub with tail elevated. My next 
sight of it was on the fourth day of pursuit, just prior to shooting 
it, when my old Quail bitch disturbed it. Its motion on this 
occasion (perhaps due to its being severely pressed) was 
distinctly different from that observed on the former. Appear- 
ing, as it did, running at top speed across one of those 
beautifully rounded sand hills (which abound on the coasts), with 
its tail depressed below the plane of the body, and its dwarf 
rounded wings used as an aid to its running, its toes just 
touching the ground, and its neck stretched to the utmost, 
the bird reminded me very much of the action of the Lyre Bird 
in similar circumstances. 
The food of the bird, as revealed by dissection, consisted 
wholly of land snails, those marine-like looking forms which are 
found in abundance on the coastal limestone hills, apparently 
lifeless in hot weather, but full of vitality after a shower of rain. 
One snail, with the shell perfect, was found in the stomach. 
The bird was an adult female, but there was nothing to 
indicate that incubation was near. 
SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION. 
Upper Surface. — Head and ear coverts bright chestnut, with 
a narrow whitish zone round the eye. Upper portion of hind 
neck showing faint chestnut, with round, blackish edgings to 
feathers. Mantle dark slaty-brown, faintly tinged with rufous 
and with dappling formed by ashy-grey margins to feathers. 
Wings, rump,. and tail chestnut-brown ; shaft of tail feathers 
black. 
Under Surface. — Chin and throat white, with numerous 
darkish markings on outer margins, giving a dappled-grey 
appearance. Breast — much darker dapples, with greyish outer 
margins, the difference in the colouration between the throat and 
breast and the dark markings of the feathers of the latter forming 
a divisional and crescentic line between these parts, the same 
line being also faintly discernible around the whole of the hind 
neck. 
Abdomen — Dapplings less distinct and irregular, flanks dark 
slate-brown. 
Under Tail Coverts. — Reddish-brown, long, and feathers loose 
in texture. 
Mandibles. — Shining dark brown, approaching blackness, 
except the lower one, which is much lighter towards gape, but 
not yellowish. 
Legs and Feet. — Dark browm. 
Irides. — Red. 
Wings. — Very rounded, the first quill very short, the sixth 
and seventh terminating equally, being the longest. Feathers, 
on back flanks and under tail coverts, loose and coarse. The 
