305 
New Species of Birds. 
of nidification, but from which it differs in inhabiting the open 
sandy plains, instead of dense and gloomy glens, and in forming 
the mound for the reception of the eggs of sand, dead grasses, 
and boughs, depending as much upon the sun’s rays as upon 
the heat produced by decomposition to develope the young. 
Mr. Gould added, that a most interesting note, detailing 
these facts, accompanied the specimens, and that an equally 
important sketch of its range, &c. had been furnished him by 
Captain Grey, who has just returned from the north-west coast 
of Australia. The acquisition of this new species, and the 
notes here alluded to, are more than ordinarily acceptable, 
since they materially tend to clear up the long-disputed point 
as to what group the Bush Turkey should be referred to. 
Mr. Gould further stated, that the views of those naturalists 
who have considered it to be closely allied to the Megapodii 
were perfectly correct, and that the Bush Turkey and the new 
species now exhibited would in fact form part of a large and 
singular family of birds inhabiting Australia and the Indian 
Islands, all of which assimilate in their habits and mode of 
niditication. This new species differing considerably in several 
of its characters from the Bush Turkey ( Talegalla ), Mr. 
Gould proceeded to characterise it as a new genus, under the 
name of Leipoa , signifying u a deserter of its eggs.” The 
specific term of ocellata was suggested by the ocellatcd 
character of many of the spots with which its body is adorned. 
Genus Leipoa. 
Gen. Char.—Rostrum fere tain longuin quam caput; 
gracile, ad basin tumescens, tomiis undulatis et ad basin in- 
curvatis, naribus amplis, oblongis, operculo tectis, et in fovea 
centrali positis. Caput suberistatum. Alee arnplce, rotundatse, 
concavce; e remigibus primariis quinto longissimo; tertiarus 
quam remiges primarii fere tam longis. Cauda rotundata, 
rectricibus quatuordecem. Tarsi inediocres, robusti, antice 
scutis, postice squamis rotundatis baud aequalibus, tecti. 
Digiti subbreves; digitislateralibus inter se fere requalibus. 
Leipoa ocellata. Lei. pectore per medium plumas lan - 
ceolatas nigras 9 strip a centrali albd ornatas , prabente , 
plumis corporis supernh albjiscenti-cinercis 9 ad apicem 
guttd penb ocellatd , ruftt , nigro marginal a, votatis. 
Head and crest blackish brown; neck and shoulders dark 
ash grey; the fore part of the former, from the chin to the 
breast, marked by a series of lanceolate feathers, which are 
black with a white stripe down the centre; back and wings 
conspicuously marked with three distinct bands of greyish 
white, brown and black near the tip of each feather, the marks 
assuming an ocellate form, particularly on the tips of the 
secondaries; primaries brown, their outer webs marked with 
zigzag lines of darker brown; rump and upper tail-coverts 
brownish grey, the feathers of the latter transversely marked 
VOL. i. no. iv. x 
