THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
to some of the feathers ; wing-coverts duU ashy, the lesser series with a few black bars, 
the median and inner greater coverts chestnut towards their ends, which have a white 
tip preceded by a black subterminal bar ; primary-coverts and quills blackish-brown, 
the primaries with narrow margins of paler brown, the three outermost edged with 
ashy-white ; the innermost secondaries much varied, being chestnut, with black 
cross-bars, of which the subterminal one is very broad ; the distal aspect of some of 
them notched with buffy-white and edged with this colour, before which is a 
subterminal line of black, preceded by some blackish vermiculations ; tail-feathers 
ashy-grey, with slight blackish vermiculations ; crown of head black, the hinder 
crown and nape barred with chestnut ; the base of the forehead, lores, and a line of 
feathers along the sides of the crowm white, with black edges, producing a spotted 
appearance ; ear-coverts dark ashy-grey, with white shaft-hnes below the eye ; 
cheeks white, with black margins, resembling the sides of the neck, which are 
similarly spotted, the hind-neck mostly ashy-grey, with a twin bar of white and black 
and a chestnut tip, this followed by an area of nearly uniform chestnut, which over- 
spreads the upper mantle, and has only a few black bars ; chin and upper throat 
white ; the lower throat, chest, upper breast and sides of the body dull plumbeous 
grey, each feather centred with an ovate spot of buff, with more or less of a blackish 
margin, the buff taking the form of bars on the sides of the breast, where there are 
a few black bars ; on the sides of the fore-neck and chest an area of chestnut continuous 
with the chestnut of the upper mantle, and extending down to the sides of the upper 
breast, where there are a few white spots and black bars ; middle of the breast and 
abdomen white, with a shght tinge of buff ; under tail-coverts sandy-buff, with some 
lateral black spots ; under wing-coverts, axiUaries, and inner lining of quills dull 
ashy-grey. Total length, 190 mm. ; culmen, 18 ; wing, 108 ; tail, 43 ; tarsus, 23. 
Adult male. Differs from the female in being smaller ; the distribution of colour above 
is similar, but everywhere duller, particularly on the mantle, where the extended 
colour of the back takes the place of the bright chestnut patch, which is conspicuous 
in the female ; the feathers of the lower throat and chest are buffy-white, with 
twin black spots, which gives an irregular barred appearance. “ Bill bluish-horn- 
colour ; iris deep orange ; tarsi and feet deep yellow ” (T, Carter). 
Nestling. Covered with black, white and grey down, with an admixture of chestnut on 
the middle of the back and wings ; a white line on each side of the crown, from the 
lores to behind the eye ; a black hne from the base of the forehead, which widens 
out on the crown and encloses a narrow white line on the hi ;der crown ; there 
is also a more or less pronounced double white hne on the middle of the back ; 
under-surface entirely dusky-grey. 
Two other young individuals, a little more advanced in age, have the head 
similarly coloured to that of the nestling ; the feathers of the back are black, with 
white or rufous margins ; primary and secondary quills brown, with buffy-white 
edges ; throat covered with grey down ; the feathers of the breast and sides of neck 
sandy-rufous, with black shaft-lines in one specimen ; in the other the black takes 
the form of bars ; abdomen and flanks buffy-white, becoming tawny on the under 
tail-coverts. 
Nest. “ A slight depression in the ground, sometimes lined with a httle grass or fine leaves, 
and sheltered by a tussock, stone, etc. ; usually in an exposed dry locality ” 
(Campbell). 
Eggs. Clutch, four ; a full clutch collected on the Dawson River, North Queensland, are 
smooth and glossy, with a whitish ground colour, minutely freckled with blue and 
brown spots over the entire surface, as well as reddish-brown spots more sparsely 
distributed. Axis, 26-27 mm. ; diameter, 21-22. 
Breeding season. September to February (Howe). 
Incubation-period. (In captivity) thirteen days (Seth-Smith). 
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