THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
with black ; this vinous colour extending down the sides of the breast, where the 
spots are somewhat larger ; throat dull white, tinged with pale ochre on the lower 
part ; fore-neck, chest, and upper breast ashy with a shght ochreous tinge and 
plentifully marked with ovate spots of pale ochre, increasing in size, on the sides 
of the breasts, which are also somewhat ashy ; centre of breast and abdomen white, 
the sides of the body and flanks pale ochreous-buff, the flanks more dusky and having 
ashy bases to the feathers ; under tail-coverts sandy-buff ; axillaries and under wing- 
coverts leaden grey, the former slightly washed with rufous ; quills leaden-grey below, 
tinged with rufous along the inner web ; “ Iris yellow ; feet yellow ” (J. T. Tunney). 
Total length, 162 mm, ; culmen, 16 ; wing, 85 ; tail, 37 ; tarsus, 19. 
Adult male. Differs from the female chiefly in being smaller ; and the grey of the breast 
being mixed with buff. Total length, 158 mm. ; culmen, 15 ; wing, 79 ; tail, 41 ; 
tarsus, 21. 
Nest. “ A depression beneath a tussock of grass or where the grass grows long, especially 
in the neighbourhood of water ” (Le Souef). 
Eggs. “ Clutch four, rounded, glossy and finely pitted ; they are greenish white, and some 
are boldly speckled with very dark brown, or almost black markings, especially on 
the larger end, while others have much smaller faint spots of purphsh-brown. The 
markings beneath the surface appear grey. The eggs vary somewhat in size, and 
measurement. Dimensions in inches 1.1 to .93 by .82 to .75 ” (Le Souef). 
Breeding season. January (Le Souef). 
The type was sent to Gould by Mr. Bynoe. Little is known of its life-history. 
Gilbert*, writing to Gould from Port Essington, says: — “This species inhabits 
the sides of stony hills in coveys of from fifteen to thirty in number ; which, when 
disturbed, seldom rise together, but rim along the ground, and it is only upon 
being very closely pressed that they will take wing, and then they merely fly 
to a short distance ; while running on the ground their heads are thrown up 
as high as their necks will permit, and their bodies, being carried very erect, 
a waddling motion is given to their gait, which is very ludicrous. The stomachs 
of those dissected were very muscular, and contained seeds, and a large propor- 
tion of pebbles.” 
Dr. House! observed them in North-West Kimberley, in sandstone country, 
in the neighbourhood of Charnley and Calder Rivers. Only two or three birds 
were seen together. 
The bird described and figured is a female, collected on the South Alligator 
River, by Mr. J. T. Tunney, on June 28th, 1903. 
* Gould’s Handb. B. AuMr., II., p. 184 (1865). 
f Cf. Rep. Bxpl. i\/^. W. Kimberley, p. 58 (1902). 
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