HEMIPODIUS CASTANOTUS, Goud. 
Chestnut-backed Hemipode. 
Hemipodius castanotus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., part vil. (1839) p. 145. 
Win-do-loom, Aborigines of Port Essington. 
Thick-billed Quail, Colonists. 
Tur Chestnut-backed Hemipode inhabits the northern and north-western portions of Australia; spe 
cimens from the latter have been forwarded to me by Mr. Bynoe and by Mr. Dring of H.MLS. Beagle. 
Mr. Gilbert also found it at Port Essington ; and his notes respecting it I here transcribe :— 
«This is a tolerably abundant species, and ‘nhabits the sides of stony hills in coveys of from fifteen to 
thirty in number, which, when disturbed, seldom rise together, but run along the ground ; and it is only upon 
being very closely pursued 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 proportion of pebbles.” 
Head, neck, and chest olive-grey, the feathers of the head and neck spotted with fawn-white at the tip, 
those of the chest having a spatulate mark of the same colour down the centre ; centre of the abdomen and 
the under tail-coverts pale buff; a narrow stripe over each eye, and back, shoulders, and tail, rich chestnut ; 
the feathers on the back and shoulders spotted with white, the white spots bounded anteriorly with black ; 
primaries brown, edged with bull; irides gamboge-yellow ; bill light ash-grey ; naked skin round the eye 
smoke-grey ; tarsi and feet king’s-yellow. 
The Plate represents the two sexes, of the natural size. 
