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NOTE UPON THE NIDIFICATION OF TURNIX 
MELANOTUS , Gould. 
Small Black-spotted Turnix. 
By A. J. North, F.L.S. 
Of the three small species of Turnix found in Australia, two of 
them, T. velox and T. pyvrhothorax , give decided preference to 
the open grassy plains of the inland districts, while Turnix 
melanotus is essentially an inhabitant of the low marshy ground 
and damp scrubs contiguous to the eastern coast of Australia. 
Near Sydney the latter species is not uncommon in the neigh- 
bourhood of Rand wick, Botany, and La Perouse, localities also 
frequented by the Least Swamp Quail, Excalfatoria australis , and 
both species, shot at Botany on the same day, have been recently 
presented to the Museum. 
The nidification of Turnix melanotus , similar to that of other 
members of the genus, is a scantily grass-lined hollow in the ground, 
sheltered by a convenient tuft of grass or low bush. The eggs 
are four in number for a sitting ; specimens obtained on Mr. 
Boyd’s plantation on the Herbert River, Queensland, on the 
13th of December, 1890, are oval in form, tapering somewhat 
sharply to the smaller end, the ground colour is of a greyish-white, 
and is almost obscured with minute freckles of pale umber-brown, 
while sparingly distributed over the surface of the shell are 
conspicuous spots and blotches of dark slaty-grey, which in some 
places approach an inky-black hue. Length (A) 0 f 97 x 0 73 inch, 
(B) 0-98 x 0 73 inch. These eggs can easily be distinguished from 
those of T. velox , by being much darker and the surface of the 
shell bright and glossy. During the same month, eggs of 
Excalfatoria australis were procured in the same locality. The 
latter species, Mr. J. A. Boyd informs me, is very common on 
the Herbert River. 
