44 
THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 
9. Black-breasted Quail Turnix melanogaster Gould 
Tur-nix L., turnix, quail: met-an-o-gas -ter —Gk, melas ( melanos ), 
black; Gk, gas ter, belly. 
Distribution. —Eastern Australia, from Rockingham Bay to northern 
New South Wales. 
Notes.—Also called Black-fronted Quail. A very rare species; in¬ 
habits the thick scrubs, rarely going beyond the outer fringes of the scrub. 
It is similar in habits to the Painted Quail. The bird figured is a female; 
the male has a brown crown and a whitish throat. 
Nest. —A depression in the ground under a low bush or tussock of 
grass; lined with grasses. 
Eggs. —Three or four, pale buffy-white, minutely and thickly freckled 
all over with light vinous-brown, with which are intermingled spots and 
blotches of chestnut-brown, purplish-grey, and black, also underlying 
markings of faint lilac-grey. Breeding-season: probably February or 
March. 
10. Painted Quail Turnix varia Latham 
var-i-a —L., varius, different. 
Distribution .—Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Aus¬ 
tralia, Western Australia, and Tasmania. 
Notes .—Also called Varied Quail, Scrub Quail, and Dotterel Quail 
Inhabits open forest, heath-lands, lightly timbered ridges, also big scrub, 
and is usually' in pairs or family parties. It is partly^ nocturnal, and has a 
booming note somewhat resembling that of the Bronze-wing Pigeon. The 
female is slightly larger than the male. 
Nest .—A shallow depression, scratched in the ground; thinly lined 
with fine dried grasses, and placed beneath the shelter of a tuft of grass, 
low bush, or rank herbage. 
Eggs .— Usually four, faint buffy to greydsh-white, almost obscured 
with freckles, dots, and spots of chestnut or wood-brown, dull violet, and 
slaty-grey markings. Breeding-season: September to February (eastern 
Australia). 
11. Chowchilla (Northern Log-runner) Orthonyx spaldingi Ramsay 
Or'-thon-yx —Gk, orthos, straight; Gk, onyx, claw: spaldingi —Edward 
Spalding, collector and taxidermist, Queensland. 
Distribution. —Northern Queensland (Cairns district). 
Notes. —Also called Spalding’s Spinetail. Inhabits the dense scrubs 
of the mountain ranges, usually in small parties; it is shv and very noisy, 
and is more often heard than seen. Call, a series of notes, like “Chow- 
chilla-chow-chow-chilla.” It is also said to be a wonderful mimic, capable 
of imitating almost any r sound. Food: insects, worms, and berries. 
Nest. A dome-shaped structure with an entrance at the side, com- 
