THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Central Australia, on the 2nd of July, 1914, and is the type of A. p. todmordeni 
(middle figure). The sexes are alike. 
Adult male. Crown of head and nape rust-grey with dark centres to the feathers of the 
former ; a narrow band of black across the fore-head, some of the feathers minutely 
tipped with white ; lores, base of fore-head, and fore part of cheeks buff; sides 
of face rust-grey speckled with whitish ; upper-back and scapulars hazel; lower 
back and rump dark chestnut where the feathers are white subapically; upper 
wing-coverts dark brown with buff margins to the feathers; bastard-wing darker 
and°inclining to blackish ; flight-quills hair-brown with whitish margins on the 
inner webs, the innermost secondaries blackish-brown broadly margined with bufi; 
upper tail-coverts rust-brown ; tail blackish, the outer feathers tipped with white, 
which extends along the outer web of the outermost feather; nasal-bristles bufiy- 
white; chin white with hair-like tips to some of the feathers; throat also white 
with blackish bases to the feather's ; upper breast hazel which becomes darker on 
the lower breast where the feathers are barred subapically with black; abdomen 
and under tail-coverts white; thighs rust-brown; sides of body white heavily 
blotched with chestnut; under wing-coverts cinnamon becoming grey on the 
greater series; under-surface of flight-quills hair-brown with pale bufi margins; 
lower aspect of tail similar to its upper-surface. Eyes dull white, bill and feet 
black. Total length 100 mm. ; cuhnen 7, wing 57, tail 40, tarsus 19. Figured. 
Collected at Wantra Pilla Swamp, Central Australia, on the 9th of July, 1914. 
(Top figure.) 
Immature. Crown of head earth-brown with dark centres to the feathers, darker and 
inclining to black on the fore-head ; nape, sides of face, and sides of neck similar 
but more uniform in colour ; back and scapulars chestnut; upper wing-coverts 
dark brown with pale margins to the feathers; flight-quills hair-brown broadly 
margined with fulvous on the inner secondaries ; tail missing; base of fore-head 
and lores cream-white ; elfin and throat white with dark bases to the feathers; 
breast dull chestnut; abdomen white ; thighs rust-brown; sides of body also 
white with chestnut tips to the feathers, axillaries white tinged with pale chestnut; 
under wing-coverts grey tinged with cinnamon ; under-surface of flight-quills hair- 
brown margined with buffy-white. Eyes white, feet and bill black. Collected at 
Todmorden, 60 miles west of Oodnadatta, Central Australia, on the 2nd of 
July, 1919. 
Immature. Top of head, hind-neck, and mantle earth-brown with a ferruginous tinge; 
sides of face similar but paler ; a slight indication of a whitish superciliary line 
above and behind the eye ; back and scapulars chestnut; upper wing-coverts earth- 
brown ; bastard-wing, primary-coverts, and flight-quills hair-brown, the inner 
secondaries broadly margined with fulvous ; the feathers on the lower rump whitish; 
upper tail-coverts rust-brown ; tail blackish with smoke-brown or white tips to the 
feathers ; the outermost feather on each side edged with white on the outer web; 
base of fore-head and lores cream-white; chin whitish becoming ash-grey on the 
throat; breast fawn-colour becoming darker where it joins the white of the 
abdomen ; abdomen and under tail-coverts white ; sides of body and axillaries 
white tipped with chestnut; thighs rust-colour; under w T ing-coverts grey tinged 
with cinnamon ; under-surface of flight-quills pale hair-brown with bufiy-white 
margins ; lower aspect of tail similar to its upper-surface. Eyes white, feet ashy- 
grey 7 , bill brown. Collected at Wantna Pilla Swamp, Central Australia, on the 
18th of August, 1914. 
Immature male. Crown of head, nape, hind-neck, sides of neck, and sides of face earth- 
brown with minute pale shaft-streaks to the last; back pale chestnut like the 
margins of the innermost secondaries; upper wing-coverts pale brown more 
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