EPPO EDL LDN DED ADA ONG LDS DLE DME LG SL ELSIE EDEL SLD GIDE LEELD AA AELAERG PRETEEN LER ESLER GE CRED TOES “ ’ A ‘3 bs 2 iy = ‘ ‘ 4 9 e's xy GA dade 7 el steaaeal . + lo SP ate SP lt: | a a ‘she 8? NE OE Og ro 4 oe) Pt Gace “™.. = ¥ ge De “oD Ce rg eke » < os o . ' , Le etetatitiddaddedd eT See ee ~~ IT. = Set ae PEN e * Ss ° ee ee Aaa aoe “4 F Wok MAIZNY ek LOW, Pe WON 3 y. 1: A b 3° 8 ay Ue is a zi a ry 5 BES 7 NOM ry é eT NC rey KON Ar id Roh Mee iy 7 Ba Saw THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. BSI ION GOULD, F.Rss., F.L.S., F.Z.S., M.E.S., F.ETHN.S., F.R.GEOG.S., M.RAYS., HON. MEMB. OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF TURIN, OF THE ROY. ZOOL. SOC. OF IRELAND, OF THE PENZANCE NAT. HIST. SOC., OF THE WORCESTER NAT. HIST. SOC., OF THE NORTHUMBERLAND, DURHAM AND NEWCASTLE NAT. HIST. SOC., OF THE NAT. HIST. SOC. OF DARMSTADT AND OF THE TASMANIAN SOCIETY OF VAN DIEMEN’S LAND, ETC. IN SEVEN VOLUMES. VY OE, Vi, LON DOR, PRINTED BY RICHARD AND JOHN E. TAYLOR, RED LION COURT, FLEET STREET. PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR, 20, BROAD STREET, GOLDEN SQUARE. 1848. LIST OF PLATES. Dromaius Novee-Hollandize Apteryx Australis, Shaw —— QOwenli, Gould Otis Australasianus, Gould (Edicnemus grallarius Esacus magnirostris Hzematopus longirostris, Vieill — — fuliginosus, Gould Lobivanellus lobatus personatus, Gould Sarciophorus pectoralis Squatarola Helvetica Charadrius xanthocheilus, iis —_— veredus, Gould Eudromias Australis, Gould Hiaticula bicincta —- ruficapilla = OMA Gial ————— inornata, Gould omnes Erythrogonys cinctus, Gould Glareola grallaria, Tem. mene — Orientalis, Leach Himantopus leucocephalus, Gould ——— Nove-Zelandix, Gould Chladorhynchus pectoralis Recurvirostris rubricollis, Temm. Limosa Melanuroides, Gould uropygialis, Gould Schoeniclus Australis —_— albescens subarquatus ——_—— magnus, Gould Terekia cinerea Actitis empusa, Gould Glottis Glottoides Totanus stagnatilis —— griseopygius, Gould ee Interpres Scolopax Australis, Lath. Rhynchea Australis, Gould Numenius Australis, Gould ———— uropygialis, Gould minutus, Gould Geronticus spinicollis Threskiornis strictipennis Falcinellus igneus y Grus Australasianus, Gould Platalea flavipes, Gould — regia, Gould Mycteria Australis, Lath. Ardea pacifica, Lath. — Nove-Hollandie, Lath. VOLUME VI. The Emu Kiwi-kiwi Owen’s Apteryx Australian Bustard Southern Stone-Plover Large-billed Plover White-breasted Oyster | iat Sooty Oyster-Catcher Wattled Pewit Masked Pewit Black-breasted Pewit Grey Plover j Australian Golden Plover Brown Plover Australian Dottrel Double-banded Dottrel Red-capped Dottrel Hooded Dottrel Allied Dottrel Black-fronted Dottrel Banded Red Knee Australian Pratincole Oriental Pratincole White-headed Stilt New Zealand Stilt Banded Stilt Red-necked Avocet Black-tailed Godwit Barred-rumped Godwit Australian Tringa Little Sandpiper Curlew Sandpiper Great Sandpiper Terek Godwit Fairy Sandpiper Australian Greenshank Marsh Sandpiper Grey-rumped § oe Turnstone New Holland sane Australian Rhyncheea Australian Curlew Australian Whimbrel Little Whimbrel Straw-necked Ibis White Ibis Glossy Ibis Australian Crane Yellow-legged Spoonbill Royal Spoonbill Australian Mycteria Pacific Heron White-fronted Heron 16 33 34 39 36 37 38 39 40 4] 43 44 45 46 Ardea rectirostris, Gould : Great-billed Heron 54 leucopheea, Gould Great Grey Heron 55 Herodias syrmatophorus, Gould Australian Egret 56 plumiferus, Gould Plumed Egret ; 57 immaculata, Gould Spotless Egret 58 pannosus, Gould Sombre Egret : 59 ee 2 uculanis Blue Reef Heron . : i : 60 se Greyi White Reef Heron : : : ol picata, Gould Pied. Egret . : Y : : oe, Nycticorax Caledonicus Nankeen Night Heron . ‘ 3 . 63 Botaurus Australis, Gould Australian Bittern . : : ‘ od: Ardetta flavicollis : : Yellow-necked Bittern . é . 65 macrorhyncha, Gould . : Thick-billed Green Bittern. ‘ 1166 stagnatilis, Gould Little Grey Bittern , ; : OM pusilla Minute Bittern p : : : 268 Porphyrio melanotus, Temm. : Black-backed Porphyrio : ‘ 09 — bellus, Gould Azure-breasted Porphyrio Tribonyx Mortieri, DuBus Mortier’s Tribonyx : ‘ f : — ventralis, Gould : Black-tailed Tribonyx . : pe 7h) Gallinula tenebrosa, Gould ; ; . Sombre Gallinule . : ‘ : aS: Fulica Australis, Gould . : i : Australian Coot. ; : : Br Parra gallinacea, Temm. . : : Gallinaceous Parra a Rallus pectoralis, Cuw. . ; Pectoral Rail 76 Lewinii, Swains. . : : : Lewin’s Water Rail ; : E BL) Eulabeornis castaneoventris, Gould ‘ Chestnut-bellied Rail .. A : as Porzana fluminea, Gould , Spotted Water Crake . : ; me) —_——— palustris, Gould Water Crake . ; » 80 leucophrys, Gould. : E White-eyebrowed Water Crake Bl —————? immaculata . ; Spotless Gallmule . i : 82 + y Se “Na 2 we yr, = WI ; N 3 J (e) DROMAIUS NOV A=HOLLANDIZE. The Emu. New Holland Cassowary, Phill. Bot. Bay, pl. in p. 271.—White’s Journ., pl. in p. 129.—Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 290.—Ib. Gen. Hist., vol. viii. p. 383. Southern Cassowary, Shaw, Nat. Misc., pl. 99. Emu of New South Wales, Collin’s Voy., vol. ii. pl. in p. 307. Casuarius Nove-Hollandia, Lath. Ind. Orn., vol. ii. p. 665.—Cuv. Régn. Anim., tom. i. p. 497. Casoare de la Nouvelle Hollande, Péron, Voy. aux ‘Terr. Aust., tom. i. p. 467. pls. 36 and 41. Dromaius ater, Vieill. Gal. des Ois., tom. ii. pl. 226.—Less. Traité d’Orn., p. 9. Atlas, pl, 2. fig. 2, The Emeu, Gard. and Menag. of Zool. Soc., Birds, p. 192. Van Diemen’s Land Cassowary, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. viii. p. 384. pl. exxxviii. Dromiceus Australis, Swains. Class. of Birds, vol. ii. p. 346. — Emu, Steph. Cont. of Shaw’s Gen. Zool., vol. xi. p. 439, and vol. xiv. p. 307. pl. 39. Dromaius Nove-Hollandia, G. R. Gray, List of Gen. of Birds, 2nd Edit., p. 82.—List of Birds in Brit. Mus. Coll., part ill. p. 54. Tis fine bird, which is only exceeded in size by the Ostrich of Africa, was first described and figured under the name of the New Holland Cassowary in Governor Phillip’s ** Voyage to Botany Bay,” published in 1789, and it has been included in all ornithological works of a general nature that.have appeared since that date ; but by far the most accurate figure and account of it that has yet been given are those published by the late Mr. Bennett in the “‘ Gardens and Menagerie of the Zoological Society delineated.” ‘In size and bulk,” says Mr. Bennett, ‘* the Emu is exceeded by the African Ostrich alone. Its average measurement may be estimated at between five and six feet in height. In form it closely resembles the Ostrich, but is lower on the legs, shorter in the neck, and of a more thick-set and clumsy make. At a distance its feathers have more the appearance of hair than of plumage, their barbs being all loose and separate. As in the Ostriches they take their origin by pairs from the same shaft. .... The wings are so extremely small as to be quite invisible when applied to the surface of the body. They are clothed with feathers exactly similar to those of the back, which divide from a middle line and fall gracefully over on either side..... These birds appear to be widely spread over the southern part of the continent of New Holland and the neighbouring islands ; but we are not aware that they have been hitherto observed in its tropical regions. They were formerly very abundant at Botany Bay and Port Jackson. On the south coast they have been met with in great numbers, at Port Phillip by Captain Flinders, and at King George’s Sound by the same officer and the naturalists of the expedition under D’Entrecasteaux. They seem also to be extremely numerous in the adjacent islands, especially in Kangaroo and King’s Islands, where they were found in the greatest abundance by both Flinders and Péron. According to the latest accounts from Swan River, they have also been observed on that part of the west coast on which the settlement is situated.” The researches that have been made in Australia since the above account was published prove that it is universally dispersed over the whole of the Australian continent, and that it is even more numerous in the northern or tropical regions than it would seem to have formerly been in the southern; on the other hand, from Van Diemen’s Land, the islands in Bass’s Straits and the colony of New South Wales it is almost extirpated ; a few still range over the western part of Van Diemen’s Land, and it may yet be met with on the Liverpool Plains, in New ‘South Wales, and probably on some of the low islands at the mouth of the Hunter, where I observed its recent foot-marks. In South Australia it has suffered less from the encroachments of the white man than in New South Wales, and the same may be said of the colony of Swan River. > ‘*Tn its manners,’ says Mr. Bennett, ‘ the Emu bears a close resemblance to the Ostrich... . . Its food appears to be wholly vegetable, consisting chiefly of fruits, roots and herbage; and it is consequently, notwithstanding its great strength, perfectly inoffensive. The length of its legs and the muscularity of its thighs enable it to run with great swiftness; and as it is exceedingly shy, it is not easily overtaken or brought within gun-shot. Captain Currie states that it affords excellent coursing, equalling, if not surpass- ing, the same sport with the hare in England; but Mr. Cunningham says that dogs will seldom attack it, both on account of some peculiar odour in its flesh which they dislike, and because the injuries it inflicts upon them by striking out with its feet are frequently very severe. The settlers even assert that the Emu will break the small bone of a man’s leg by this sort of kick ; which to avoid, the well-trained dogs run up abreast and make a sudden spring at their neck, whereby they are quickly despatched.” Its flesh has been compared to coarse beef, which it resembles, according to Mr. Cunningham, “ both in appearance and taste, and is good and sweet eating ; nothing indeed can be more delicate than the flesh of the young ones. ‘There is but little fit for culinary use upon any part of the Emu, except the hind-quarters, which are of such dimensions that the shouldering of two hind-legs homewards for a mile distance once proved to me as tiresome a task as I ever recollect to have encountered in the colony.” I may remark that its flesh proved of the greatest service to Dr. Leichhardt and his intrepid companions during their overland in the course of which, but more particularly between the head route from Moreton Bay to Port Essington, , ‘apture of the Emu was almost a daily of the Gulf of Carpentaria and Port Essington, the sight and | it, that he states that he saw in the short space of eight miles at least occurrence ; so abundant in fact was Dr. Leichhardt mentions that the natives of three, five, ten, and even more, at a time. break the wings—why, he was at a loss to conceive, as they could but slightly should it survive ; some curious practices also exist with respect to ars of which I have not been able to learn, but I may mention that a hundred, in flocks on killing an Emu invariably assist the animal in making its escape, this bird among the natives, the particul and boys are not allowed to feed upon it. al sound the Emu has been heard to utter is a low booming or pumping noise, which we and contraction of a large membranous bag, the young men The only voc know is produced in the female by means of the expansion ough the rings of the trachea; but whether this peculiarity of structure surrounding an oblong opening thr For the loan of some interesting drawings and a specimen is also to be found in the male I am not aware. in spirits of this very singular conformation I am indebted to my friend W. Yarrell, Esq. The eggs are six or seven in number, of a beautiful dark green, resembling shagreen in appearance ; five inches and three-quarters in length by three inches and three-quarters in breadth; they are held in much esteem by the natives, who feed upon them exclusively whenever they can be procured. They are merely placed in a cavity scooped in the earth, generally in a sandy soil. They pair with tolerable constancy, and the male bird appears to take a large share in the task of incu- bation. In captivity they speedily become tame and domesticated, and have been bred without difficulty in various collections in this country. Little or no difference of colour is observable in the sexes, which may be thus described :— The entire plumage is of a dull brown, mottled, particularly on the under surface, with dirty grey; the feathers of the head and neck becoming gradually shorter, and so thinly placed that the purplish hue of the skin of the throat and round the ears is perfectly visible ; irides brown; bill and legs dusky black. The young on first quitting the shell have a very elegant appearance, the ground-colour being greyish white, with two longitudinal broad black stripes along the back, and two others on each side, each sub- divided by a narrow middle line of white; these stripes being continued along the neck without subdivision and broken into irregular spots on the head ; two other broken stripes pass down the fore-part of the neck and breast, and terminate in a broad band across the thighs. The Plate represents a reduced figure of the adult and a brood of young ones. ig) Lard Fae SRS /) i — aoa APTERYX AUSTRALIS, Shaw. Kiwi Kiwi. Less. Traité Apteryx Australis, Shaw, Nat. Misc., vol. xxiv. Pls. 1057, 1058; and Gen. Zool. vol. xii. p. 71. d’Orn. p. 12.—Cuv. Régne Anim. t. 1. p. 498, note.—Yarrell, in Trans. Zool. Soc. vol. i. p. 71. Pl. 10.—Owen, Art. Aves, Cycl. of Anat. and Phys., vol. i. 1836, p. 269,* and in Trans. Zool. Soc vol, ll. p. 257. Apteryx, Temm. Man. d’Orn. 2nd. Edit. Anal. p. cxiv. Apterous Penguin, Lath. Gen. Hist. vol. x. p. 394. Dromiceius Nove-Zelandia, Less. Man. t. i. p. 210. Kiwi- Kiwi, Aborigines of New Zealand. For our first knowledge of this bird we are indebted to the late Dr. Shaw, to whom the specimen figured by him in the ‘“« Naturalists’ Miscellany” was presented by Captain Barclay, of the ship Providence, who brought it from New Zealand about 1812. Dr. Shaw’s figure was accompanied by a detailed drawing of the bill, foot, and rudimentary wing, of the natural size. After Dr. Shaw’s death, his at that time unique specimen passed into the possession of the Earl of Derby, then Lord Stanley. His Lordship’s being a private collection, and no other specimen having been seen either on the continent or in England, the existence of the species was doubted by naturalists generally for upwards of twenty years, M. Temminck, it is true, placed it with hesitation in an order to which he gave the title of Jnertes, comprehending the present bird and the Dodo ; but other naturalists were inclined to deny its existence altogether. The history of the bird remained in this state until June 1833, when my friend Mr. Yarrell published in the “Transactions of the Zoological Society” an interesting paper, detailing all that had been previously made known respecting it, and fully established it among accredited species : this paper was accompanied by a figure from the original specimen still in the possession of the Earl of Derby; I have since had the good fortune to become acquainted with five additional specimens, and to obtain some further information respecting the history of the species. ‘Two of these, from which my figures are taken, were presented to the Zoological Society by the New Zealand Company : the Society also possesses a third, but imperfect specimen, which was presented by Alexander MacLeay, Esq., of Sydney ; and two others have been recently added to the collection of the Earl of Derby, one of which having been liberally presented to me by his Lordship, my thanks are especially due for this interesting addition to my collections. A mature consideration of the form and structure of this most remarkable bird, leads me to assign it with little hesitation to the family of Struthionide ; and my reasons for doing so will, I think, be obvious to every one who will examine and compare the species with the members of that group. The essential characters in which it differs consist in the elongated form of the bill, inthe shortness of the tarsi, and in the possession of a sharp spur, terminating a posterior rudimentary toe. Regarding the Ostrich as the species to which it is least nearly related, we find in the Emu and Rhea a much nearer approach, not only in the more lengthened form of the bill of the latter, but also in the situation of the nostrils, which in the Rhea are placed nearer the tip than in any other species of the group, the Apteryx excepted ; in fact, when we compare the bills of these two birds, it is very evident that both are formed on one plan, that of the Apteryx being an elongated representative of the Rhea, with the nostrils placed at the extreme tip: in both these birds there is the same peculiar elevated horny cere or fold. The tarsi are much shorter, and the nails of the toes much more curved than in the Rhea; but the scaly covering of these parts in both birds is precisely the same; and.it may be further observed that the number of toes increase as we pass on from the Ostrich, there being only two in that bird, three in the Rhea, Emu, etc., and three with a rudiment of a fourth in the Apteryx. The wing of the Apteryx, although scarcely more than rudimentary, agrees with that of the Rhea in having a strongly hooked claw at its extremity; while in the structure of its feather it approaches nearest to the Cassowary; but unlike what obtains in that bird, the feathers are entirely destitute of the accessory plume, in which latter respect it again agrees with the Rhea. The members of this group, although few in number, are remarkable for their structural peculiarities, each being modified for its own peculiar habits * I was not aware of the existence of Professor Owen’s paper at the time I published my first account of this bird, otherwise it would not have remained unnoticed. and economy, and in none is this circumstance more remarkable than in the Apteryx, which, at the same c ’ c 4 x : ; arts the farthest in form from the type of the group (the Ostrich), also departs the farthest time that it dep ee ee i al economy ; being in fact adapted to the peculiarities of its own country, and in its mode of life and gener fitted for the particular kind of food there to be obtained. of this bird are those covered with extensive and dense beds of fern, among which The favourite localities i dex fern, | d pressed by dogs, the usual mode of chasing it, takes refuge in crevices of it conceals itself, and when har the rocks, hollow trees, and in the deep holes which it excavates in the ground, in the form of a chamber ; in these latter situations it is said to construct its nest of dried fern and grasses, and to deposit its eggs, the number and colour of which have not been clearly ascertained. While undisturbed, says Mr. Short, in a letter to Mr. Yarrell, the head is carried far back in the shoulders, with the bill pointing to the ground; but when pursued it runs with great swiftness, carrying the head elevated like the Ostrich. It is asserted to be almost exclusively nocturnal in its habits, and it is by torch-light that it is usually hunted by the natives, by whom it is sought after with the utmost avidity, the skins being highly prized for the dresses of the chiefs ; indeed so much are they valued, that the natives can rarely be induced to part with them. The feathers are also employed to construct artificial flies for the capture of fish, precisely after the European manner. When attacked it defends itself very vigorously, striking rapid and dangerous blows with its powerful feet and sharp spur ; with which it is also said to beat the ground in order to disturb the worms upon which it feeds, seizing them with its bill the instant they make their appearance ; it also probably feeds upon snails, insects, etc. A most careful and elaborate paper on the Anatomy of the Apteryx, by Professor Owen, is contained in the second volume of the “ ‘Transactions of the Zoological Society of London,” quoted above, of which I have availed myself in my observations upon the genus. It is said to be an inhabitant of all the islands of New Zealand, particularly the southern end of the middle island. Face and throat greenish brown, all the remainder of the plumage consisting of long lanceolate hair- like feathers, of a chestnut-brown colour, margined on each side with blackish brown; on the lower part of the breast and belly the feathers are lighter than those of the upper surface, and become of a grey tint ; bill yellowish horn-colour, its base beset with numerous long hairs ; feet yellowish brown. The Plate represents a male antl a female, rather under the natural size. avn aN ee ECR Aj ; A. awk bes RII es * > f -< SS -£ x . - S A Ae oF . A Ww Dy > C Je on A - - SP . Os A it Lhd tA SAP. v 5 4 Ps Ld A. 5 W.e ¥ i 5; RO a a ae 7 aa ASA = MZ ae eS DS 4 s (moys/ *SVTVULSAV & a ws Sill \ aN ee MY at : aS Lae *- —~ ae TARA © PRA AZ AA AY en, ED ok senna Sete gash re aig Ra eR TIE sw ” 2 Snape. aes ‘ ¢ ee oad < oS SS = = | = \ APTERYX OWENTI, Gow. Owen’s Apteryx. Apteryx Owent, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part XV. p. 94. Tue acquisition of a second species of Apteryx is an evidence that our knowledge of the natural productions of New Zealand is far from complete ; and as a farther proof that such is the case, I may mention that from information I have lately received, I have reason to believe that a third and much larger species of Apteryx is still living in the Southern or Middle Island; at least the sealers who annually visit those shores affirm that such a bird exists; it is known to them by the name of the Fireman, and is said to be about three feet in height. I have also been favoured by Mr. Wilson of Lydstip House with the loan of an enormous egg, larger than that of a swan, which is said to be that of the common species of Apteryx; and although it is possible that it may belong to that bird, its great size favours the belief that such is not the case, and that it is more likely to be the egg of some species with which we are unacquainted. The single specimen from which my figure was taken was sent to me by Mr. F. Strange of Sydney ; unfortunately it was unaccompanied by any information. It formed part of a small collection of New Zealand birds, but from which of the islands they had been procured was uncertain; I have some reason to believe that they were from the South Island. It is rendered conspicuously different from the 4. Australis, with which it accords in size, by the irregular transverse barring of the entire plumage, which, together with its extreme density and hair-like appearances, gives it more the resemblance of a mammal than of a bird; it has also a shorter, more slender and more curved bill; and the feathers also differ in structure, being broader throughout, especially at the tip, and of a loose decomposed and hair-like texture. I have characterized this new species under the name of Apteryx Owenii, feeling assured that it can only be considered a just compliment to Professor Owen, who has so ably investigated the remains of the extinct birds of New Zealand. Face, head and neck dull yellowish brown; throat somewhat paler; all the upper surface transversely rayed with blackish brown and fulvous, each individual feather being silvery brown at the base, darker brown in the middle, then crossed by a lunate mark of fulvous, to which succeeds an irregular mark of black, and terminated with fulvous; under surface paler than the upper, caused by each feather being crossed by three rays of fulvous instead of two, and more largely tipped with that colour ; the feathers of the thighs resemble those of the back ; bill dull yellowish horn-colour ; feet and claws fleshy brown. The figure is of the natural size. = phe A cam yp 4 4d fel rer oP 3 ilo Th a ee Nth Me: aT ba » fF Wiggon bs ee To a Mii. Mi 5 LL ‘ elit: 2 Ee 7 i ae 1 ee Ryu. | i oe wi . iste ae, / fer Y we, ee ip le A er Ta ’ ae Ls aes ie A: dalle ou i iby, i ee 7 BR em ee) Be 17 yy a ; UA j cy hie 2k Me | Pom Mies ej a 4 a 4 1/ 4 all] hc. a iB / yy, Hh} Hh] HANH PVT] {HH 2 a =p 1s Fs A, OTIS AUSTRALASIANUS, Gowda. Australian Bustard. Otis Australasianus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VIII. p. 176. Be-bil-ya, Aborigines of Western Australia. Turkey, Colonists of New South Wales. Native Turkey, Colonists of Swan River. Ir is a remarkable circumstance, that the vast collections of birds that have been transmitted from Australia to Europe during the last fifty years should not have comprised examples of so noble and interesting a bird as the present, and that no account should have reached us respecting the existence of so fine a Bustard. A single specimen has, it is true, for a long time formed part of the collection of the Linnean Society, but nothing whatever was known of its history, and it was not until I personally visited the ¢erra Australis that I ascertained that the present species was one of the most abundant, and one of the most widely and generally dispersed of the larger birds inhabiting that country. Extensive grassy plains and open wastes in all countries of the Old World afford a suitable asylum for Bustards ; hence it might have been naturally concluded that members of this genus were not wanting in Australia ; and it is I think somewhat surprising that other species of this family have not been discovered. Most probably, however, the interior, whenever it may be investigated, will afford additional examples. In size this species exceeds the European Bustard (Otis Tarda), standing higher upon its legs and having a longer neck ; and when seen at freedom slowly stalking over its native plains, no Australian bird, except the Emu, is so majestic, or assumes in its carriage so great an air of independence. The male, whose weight is from thirteen to sixteen pounds, considerably exceeds the female in size, and, from the greater length of the plumes of the neck and occiput, is much more stately in appearance. Iam of opinion that it is merely a summer visitant to all the southern parts of Australia, but to de- termine this point requires a longer residence in the colony than the nature of my visit permitted. I fre- quently encountered and killed it both on the plains of the Lower Namoi and also in South Australia, and Mr. Gilbert met with it in Western Australia. Specimens from Swan River present no material differences from those from the east coast. Within the precincts of the colony of New South Wales, as might be expected, a bird of so large a size is much persecuted, and has consequently become very shy, but it is still abundant there: the two specimens from which my figures were taken were shot in a paddock adjoining Mr. Coxen’s House at Yarrundi on the Upper Hunter ; I also met with it upon several occasions on the downs near Scone, the flats in the neighbourhood of Aberdeen, and other similar situations. On the plains of the interior, on the contrary, where it is much more abundant, and, being free from the assaults of civilized man, much less wary, I have killed it with small shot from my double-barrelled gun. To succeed in getting sufficiently near, however, it is necesary to bring in the aid of a horse, and to approach in circles, gradually closing in upon it, before it takes wing, which it readily does by running quickly a few yards, thereby gaining an impetus which enables it to rise. It flies heavily, with its long neck stretched out to the utmost ; but it is capable of sustaining flight for a considerable distance. As an article of food its flesh is delicate and well-flavoured, and in every respect equals that of its well-known prototype of Europe. Its food consists of seeds, vegetables, grasses, insects, &c. It breeds in the latter part of September ; the situation chosen for the purpose being a clear spot in a valley, or on the side of a grassy hill: the eggs are usually deposited on the bare ground ; occasionally, however, a few sticks are spread for them to lie upon. They are two in number, three inches long by two inches and two lines broad, and are of an olive colour, stained with longitudinal dashes of brown. Crown of the head and occiput black ; sides of the head, the neck and breast greyish white, each feather crossed by numerous fine zigzag bands of brown, giving those parts a freckled appearance ; wing-coverts black, largely tipped with white; all the upper surface, wings and upper tail-coverts brown, very minutely freckled with reddish brown; some of the feathers towards the hinder parts of the body tinged with grey ; tail grey, crossed near the centre by an interrupted band of white, minutely freckled with white, margined with brown, and slightly tipped with white ; chest crossed by an irregular band of black, beyond which the under surface is white ; under tail-coverts greyish black tipped with white ; irides greenish white ; eyelash pale olive-yellow ; bill straw-white, with olive and black culmen ; legs and feet straw-yellow. The figures are about half the natural size. Ait) POPUP ULL > 5 “ 0 eS : SE CAE gee Pion a) Ae ee ~ GQ2DICNEMUS GRALLARIUS. Southern Stone Plover. Charadrius grallarius, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. lxvi. Less. Man. d’Orn., tom. ii. p. 321. High-legged Plover, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 319.—Ib. Gen. Hist., vol. ix. p. 320. ————— frenatus, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. Ixvii. Cdicnemus longipes, Geoff. in Mus. Paris.—Vieill. Gal. des Ois., tom. ii. pl. 228.—Temm. Pl. Col., 386.—Less. Traité d’Orn., p. 546.—Vieill. Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., tom. xxiii p. 232.—Ib. Ency. Méth. Orn., part i. p. 339. pl. 234. fig. 2 Bridled Plover, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., tom. ii. p. 320.—Ib. Gen. Hist., vol. ix. p. 342. Ci dicnemus grallarius, List of Birds in Brit. Mus. Coll., part iii. p. 59. Charadrius longipes, Wag. Syst. Avium, Charadrius, sp. 4. ——_——_—_ Juscus, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. xvi. ? Brown Plover, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 320. ?—Ib. Gen. Hist., vol. ix. p. 342. ? Charadrius griseus, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. Ixvii. ? Grisled Plover, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. i. p. 320.?—Ib. Gen. Hist., vol. ix. p. 342. ? Weé-lo, Aborigines of Western Australia. Tnere are evidently two species of Stone Plover inhabiting Australia, one ranging all along the southern coast from east to west, and the other along the northern. Ata hasty glance they appear very similar, but on comparison the northern bird is found to possess a much shorter wing and considerably longer tarsi than the bird here represented, which has been long known to us, having been described by Latham in his ‘Index Ornithologicus ” under the name of Charadrius grallarius, and which inhabits all the open country to the southward of the 25th degree of south latitude. I have specimens now before me from Swan River, South Australia and New South Wales, in all of which countries it is equally common, wherever districts occur suitable to its habits and mode of life. Sandy plains, the crowns and sides of grassy hills and flats between the mountain ridges, particularly those that are of a rough and stony character, are the situations it usually frequents, and where it is mostly met with in pairs, but is occasionally seen in small companies of from eight to ten or more in number; it is at all times a shy bird, and it requires some degree of stratagem to approach it within gun-shot. It runs with great facility, and when not disposed to take wing squats on the ground by the side of a stone or a prostrate log of wood, and there remains so close as almost to admit of being trodden upon before it will rise. Upon an intruder approaching the vicinity of its young, it employs many enticing actions to attract his notice to itself, and if possible lead him away from the spot; at one moment assuming lameness to such an extent as to appear incapable of walking, at other times hanging down its wings as if escape by flight was impossible, yet withal is so wary that I never knew one captured by the hand, or obtained by any other means than by shooting it. While in a state of quiescence or walking about the plains, it is a stately and imposing bird ; when driven to take wing it mounts in the air with a quick, rather laboured motion of the wings, does not fly to any great distance, but usually pitches again in some clear place among the trees, and seeks safety by running off and secreting itself among the brushes or squatting on the ground. On the approach of evening and during the early part of the night, its loud, harsh and peculiar cry, resembling the word weé-/o two or three times repeated, is often heard. It chiefly feeds at night upon insects of various kinds and berries. The eggs are invariably two in number, and are deposited on the bare ground during September and the four following months. They vary considerably in colour, as well as in the form of their markings ; their usual ground-colour is pale buff, thickly blotched all over with umber-brown ; they are about two inches and a quarter long by one inch and five-eighths broad. The markings and general appearance of the two sexes are so similar, that it is scarcely possible to distin- guish the male from the female without the aid of dissection. Crown of the head, back of the neck and back grey, each feather with a line of brownish black down the centre ; space surrounding the eye white, bounded in front and below with a narrow streak, which, as well as the ear-coverts and a broad stripe down each side of the neck, is dark brown; lores and chin white ; scapularies blackish brown, margined at the base with grey; the upper rows of wing-coverts brown, the lower ones white tipped with brown, all with a broad stripe of black down the centre ; primaries brownish black, crossed towards the extremities by a broad irregular band of white ; tertiaries light brown, with a dark stripe down the centre, and margined with white; tail brown, crossed by several bands of white and dark brown, and largely tipped with black ; breast and abdomen buffy white, with a broad stripe of brownish black down the centre of each feather ; lower part of the abdomen white ; bill black ; irides yellow ; eye- lash black ; legs sickly yellowish olive, gradually passing into the brown of the feet. The Plate represents a male somewhat less than the natural size. ~ .% . ba 4 =) a - A Ac . LA oN Sar Sy ATS a a | “ ” t. , . “ls . ae <~ + : eo& = IN, . i —_ e NER 4 - _ Q) A a " , \ . o ae | oe” / Nf? “ ABN ORAL AI a a V2 GN g g__+ _@ val yt tifa Hii | | See . a, ae PE " i ESACUS MAGNIROSTRIS. Large-billed Plover. Cdicnemus magmrostris, Geoff.—Temm. Pl. Col. 387.—Vieill. Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., tom. xxiii. p. 251.—Ib. Ency. Méth. Orn., part i. p. 339. pl. 234. fig. Charadrius magnirostris, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. lxvi.—Wagl. Syst. Avium, Charadrius, sp. 3. Burhinus magnirostris, Less. Man. d’Orn., tom. ii. p. 335.—Ib. Traité d’Orn., p. 547. Great-billed Plover, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 319.—Ib. Gen. Hist, vol. ix. p. 341. (Edicnemus recurvirostris, Swains. Carvanaca grisea, Hodgs. Esacus magnirostris, G. R. Gray, List of Gen. of Birds, 2nd Edit. p. 83. Weé-lo, Aborigines of Port Essineton. Tuis fine species of Plover is tolerably abundant along the northern and north-western’ parts of Au- stralia, where it gives a preference to the low flat shores of the sea, on which every receding tide leaves crabs, marine insects, worms and various kinds of mollusks, which form its natural food; hence we see a marked difference in the habits of this bird from those of the true Gdienem?, with which it was formerly placed ; the latter being entirely confined to inland districts, such as open plains and grassy hills, while the Lsacus magnirostris is exclusively confined to the sea-beach, and only retires inland at the breeding- season to deposit its eggs and rear its young on some grassy hill or plain, where its feeble offspring may obtain shelter until they are able to traverse the mud flats and shingly beach. At night it is said to utter a loud scream or cry, resembling the word eé-do, whence its aboriginal name: it is somewhat singular that the same name is applied to the Gdicnemus grallarius by the natives of Western Australia, where the pre- sent bird has not as yet been seen; the cry of the two birds being similar is doubtless the cause of their both being known to the natives of those distant parts of the country by the same appellation, as it is not unusual for them to name birds after the sound they utter. The sexes bear a general resemblance to each other, and the young of the first autumn is only distin- guished by its feathers being margined with grey. I have been favoured with an egg of this fine bird by Lieut. J. M. R. Ince, R.N., who obtained it at Port Mssington, and as it was not procured by Mr. Gilbert or myself, it forms a valuable acquisition to my cabinet. Its ground-colour is cream-white, streaked and marked all over with dark olive-brown, some of the markings being large and bold without assuming any regular form, and others mere blotches about an eighth of an inch in diameter; while many of the streaks are as fine as a hair, and are of a crooked or zig- zag form: it is two inches and a half long by one inch and three quarters broad ; judging from analogy, I may venture to assert that two are laid at a time. Above and below the eye a broad mark of white, which is continued down the side of the head, the eye and the white marks being surrounded by a large patch of dark blackish brown; at the angle of the lower mandible is a small patch of blackish brown ; throat and sides of the face dull white ; head and all the upper surface light brown, the feathers of the head and neck with a narrow line of dark brown down the centre ; lesser wing-coverts dark brown, the last row crossed with white near the tip, forming a line along the wing ; remainder of the coverts grey, deepening into brown on the tertiaries ; first three primaries dark brown at the base and tip, and white in the centre, the remainder white stained with brown near the tip; tail grey, crossed with white near the tip, which is dark brown ; fore-part of the neck like the head, but paler; breast brownish grey ; abdomen and under tail-coverts buffy white; irides pale yellow; eyelids primrose-yellow ; base of the bill sulphur-yellow, which colour is continued along the sides of the upper mandible above the nostrils ; remainder of the bill black ; tibiae lemon-yellow ; tarsi and feet wine-yellow ; the upper ridge of the scales of the toes lead-colour, The young bird is similar, but has the markings of the body less defined, the whole of the upper sur- face being mottled brown and grey. The Plate represents an adult male and a young bird of the year of the natural size. CI — OP PS eae 2. AO MAS ° - } oD AX a : ee > - tr 4 cae £ $ $9 WUT ANNNLINETIITTTIIH Tere RRO - S| : te ei LELLIT TTY | mas ; ‘ as Perea ™ nme He 0 ‘ e ‘ LS HMAMATOPUS LONGIROSTRIS, Pie. White-breasted Oyster-catcher. Hematopus longirostris, Vieill., 2nd Edit. du Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., tom. xv. p. 410.—Ib. Ency. Méth., Part I. p. 341. ——— —— picatus, Vig. App. to King’s Voy. to Australia. —— Australasianus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V. p. 155. Tus species is so generally dispersed over the southern coast of Australia, that to particularize localities where it may be found would be superfluous, but I may state that it is more abundant in Van Diemen’s Land and the islands in Bass’s Straits than elsewhere. As is the case with the European species, low muddy flats under the influence of the tide, sandy bays on the sea-shore, estuaries, the mouths of rivers and marshes, are its natural places of resort. During the greater part of the year it may be observed in small companies of from three to ten or more in number, together with the Hematopus fuliginosus and other shore birds, such as Curlews, Whimbrels, Stints, Sandpipers, &c., that seek their food on beaches and sand-banks, whereon each receding tide leaves numerous mollusks and other marine animals, which afford a plentiful repast to myriads of birds of the order of which the present species forms a part. In its appearance it Is very handsome and attractive, the white feathers of the wings and breast showing very conspicuously as it nimbly trips over the sands. During the breeding-season, which lasts from September to January, it leaves the shores and resorts to small islands and rocky promontories for the purpose of rearing its young. The eggs, which are two or three in number, are usually deposited on the bare ground near the water’s edge ; they are of a buffy stone-colour, marked all over with large irregular blotches of dark chestnut-brown, ap- proaching to black ; two inches and a quarter long by one inch five-eighths broad. The young are soon capable of running, and in case of danger secrete themselves behind a stone or in a crevice of the rocks, while the adults keep flying backwards and forwards, uttering their loud and clamorous cries with the view of decoying away the intruder,—a stratagem often resorted to by other birds. The sexes present no external difference whatever. The young, from the time they are half-grown to maturity, have the same kind of plumage, but differ from the adults in having each black feather of the back and wings strongly edged with brown, forming circular marks and bars on nearly the whole of the upper surface. Head, neck, breast, back, wings, and tail-feathers for three parts of their length from the tip, deep greenish black ; the tips of the wing-coverts, abdomen, rump, upper and under tail-coverts, and the bases of the tail-feathers pure white ; irides crimson; bill and eyelash deep orange-scarlet ; feet light brick-red. The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size. f Ney ve NSIS One” HAMATOPUS FULIGINOSUS, Gowa. Sooty Oyster-catcher. Haematopus fuliginosus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soe. Mur-roo-wa-da-ree, Aborigines of Port Essington. Black Red-bill, Colonists of Western Australia. Black Oyster-catcher, Colonists of New South Wales, Van Diemen’s Land, and Port Essington. Arrer a careful examination and comparison of the Black Oyster-catchers of the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Horn and Australia, I find them to differ so much from each other, that I can come to no other conclusion than that they are so many distinct species, and hence I have been induced to characterize the Australian bird under the appellation of fudiginosus, from the sooty colouring of its plumage. Van Diemen’s Land, the islands in Bass’s Straits, and the southern coast of the Australian continent generally, are the great strongholds of this species. Like its near ally it is equally abundant wherever situations occur suited to its habits and economy; low sandy beaches at the mouths of rivers, spits of land running into the sea and small islands being its favourite places of abode; and so universally is it dispersed, that, as I have stated with regard to the A. longirostris, it is quite unnecessary to point out particular localities where it may be found ; in fact, every small island and every yard of the coasts of the countries I have mentioned are more or less visited by it. It is a strictly stationary species, breeding in the places of its usual resort; or if any change in this respect takes place, it is that, for the sake of safety and freedom from intrusion, the bird leaves the main shore and betakes itself to small rocky islands, such as those in Bass’s Straits, where, exempt from annoyance of every kind, it may rear its brood in safety, The present species is a stout-built and powerful bird, but from the sombre colouring of its plumage it is not so conspicuous and attractive as the White-breasted Oyster-catcher. Its eggs are two in number; two inches and three quarters long by one and three quarters broad, of a light stone-colour, blotched all over with large irregular markings of dark brown, some of which appear is if beneath the surface and of a purplish hue. It becomes exceedingly clamorous if its nest be intruded upon, frequently uttering a loud shrill call while flying backwards and forwards near its breeding-place. The entire plumage of a uniform sooty black, slightly glossed on the neck and under surface with green ; bill and eyelash extremely rich orange-yellow ; irides red ; legs and feet dull brick-red. The Plate represents a male about the natural size. PTHOD ©SiVGS ONAL ta Sy KG \W Ly CH ee SSeS... — Spee LOBIVANELLUS LOBATUS. Wattled Pewit. Tringa lobata, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. Ixv.—Vieill. 2nde Edit. du Dict. d’ Hist. Nat., tom. xxxv. p. 209. Wattled Sandpiper, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 313; and Gen. Hist., vol. ix. p. 305. Vanellus lobatus, Vieill. Ency. Méth., Part. IIT. p. 1075. Charadrius lobatus, Wael. Syst. Av., Sp. 51. Vanellus Nove-Hollandiea, Steph. Cont. of Shaw’s Gen. Zool.. vol. xi. p. 516. Vanellus gallinaceus, Jard. and Selb. Ill. Orn.. vol. iii. pl. 84, Kalloo-nagh, Aborigines of New South Wales. Alarm-bird of the Colonists. Thuis species is common in most parts of New South Wales, and on some of the islands in Bass’s Straits, particularly on Green Island, where it was breeding at the period of my visit in January 1839. I have never observed it in Van Diemen’s Land, but it is not improbable that it will hereafter be found to be an inhabitant of that island as well as of those above mentioned. It. has not yet been observed in Western Australia, neither have I heard of its occurrence on the northern coast of the continent. It is an attractive and showy bird, and when unmolested approaches sufficiently close to the dwellings of the settlers to permit its actions and manners to be minutely observed. Among other places where I noticed this species, I may mention that I saw it in flocks on the edge of the small ponds immediately adjoining the house of C. Throsby, Esq., at Bong Bong, on the fine estate of James Macarthur, {sq., at Camden, at Yarrundi on the Upper Hunter. Open flats and high dry grounds appeared to be equally suitable to its existence ; for nothing could be more sterile and parched than the islands in Bass’s Straits, when compared with the humid flats of the Upper Hunter, covered with grasses and rank vegetation ; yet in both. these situations I observed it at nearly the same season of the year: its food consists of insects and worms. While on the ground it has much of the carriage of the common European Pewit (Vanellus cristatus), but a decided difference is observable in its mode of running, and in its more bold and attractive manners. The more lengthened form of its wings also induces a considerable difference in its flight, which has less of the flapping laboured action so conspicuous in that of the Pewit. In some parts of New South Wales this ornamental bird has been much persecuted, and it has conse- quently become as shy and distrustful there as it is tame and familiar jn others; hence it has obtained the name of the Alarm Bird from its rising in the air, flying round and screaming at the approach of an intruder, causing not only all of its own species to follow its example, but every other animal in the district to be on the alert. This fact I had ample opportunities of verifying on the islands in Bass’s Straits, where I had scarcely stepped from the boat before every creature was made acquainted with my presence ; no small annoyance to me, whose object was to secure the wary cereopsis and eagle, which with thou- sands of petrels and many other kinds of water-birds tenant these dreary islands. The sexes are scarcely to be distinguished from each other, either in size or plumage; and both possess the spur on the shoulder, but it is much more developed in the male than in the female; the beautiful primrose-coloured wattle, with which the colouring of the bill and the bold eye closely assimilate, the pinky vermilion legs, and the strongly contrasted colours of its plumage, render it one of the most beautiful of the Plovers yet discovered. The eges, which are placed on the bare ground, are two in number. Head, back of the neck, and sides of the chest black ; back, wing-coverts and scapularies dark greyish brown inclining to cinnamon ;: primaries black ; tail white, crossed near the extremity by a broad band of black ; sides of the face, throat and all the under surface white : eye rich primrose-yellow ; wattles prim- rose-yellow ;_ bill pale yellow, with a horn-coloured tip; tarsi purplish red; scales black : spur yellow. The figures are those of a male and a female of the natural size. aie Skuse ee > — as et ae pe ancas ae at Se Pi fs eS a ad 3 SSN < (0 LEE AR Ra IT a LOBIVANELLUS PERSONATUS, Gow. Masked Pewit. Lobiwwanellus personatus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., August 23, 1842. {l-ga-ra-ra, Aborigines of Port Essington. Wattled Plover, Residents of Port Essington. THis new Pewit, which is as abundant in the northern parts of Australia as the Wattled Pewit is in the eastern, is more elegantly formed than that species, being of the same size in the body, but with more lengthened legs; the fleshy wattles surrounding the eyes are also much more extensively developed ; the crown of the head only in the present species is black, while in the Wattled Pewit the sides of the chest and upper part of the back are of the same colour. It is a very common bird in the Cobourg Peninsula, inha- biting swamps, the borders of lakes and open spots among the mangroves, and like its near ally, is mostly seen associated in small families. It is rather a noisy species, frequently uttering its note, which is not unlike the native name given above, both while on the wing and on the ground. The stomach of this bird is very muscular, and its food while living in the marshes consists of aquatic coleoptera and small crustaceous animals, but when on the plains of the interior it readily accommodates itself to the kind of insect food it may find there. The task of incubation is performed during the months of August and September ; the eges, which are two or three in number, being laid in a hollow on the bare ground at the edge of a flat adjoining a salt- marsh ; they are of a dull olive-yellow, dashed all over with spots and markings of blackish brown and dark olive-brown, particularly at the larger end ; they are one inch and five-eighths long by one inch and three- sixteenths broad, somewhat pointed at the smaller end. Crown of the head and occiput jet-black ; sides of the face, back of the neck, rump and all the under sur- face pure white; back and scapularies light brownish grey; wing-coverts grey; primaries deep black ; secondaries white at the base on their inner webs, cinnamon-grey on thet outer webs, and largely tipped with black ; tail white at the base, largely tipped with black, the extreme ends of the feathers being cinna- mon-grey, particularly the two centre ones ; irides primrose-yellow ; wattles lemon-yellow ; bill lemon-yellow at the base, black at the tip; legs and feet carmine-red; the scales in front blackish ereen, The figures are those of a male and a female of the natural size. ; v ininceeliemecill b MMMM MT SARCIOPHORUS PECTORALIS. Black-breasted Pewit. Charadrius pectoralis, Cuy. in Mus. Par.—Wazgl. Syst. Av., sp. 8. ———— tricolor, Vieill. 2nde Edit. du Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., tom. xxvii. p. 147.—Ibid. Ency. Méth. Orn., Part I. p. 337. Tuts species is known to inhabit Van Diemen’s Land, South Australia and New South Wales, but over what other portions of the Australian continent its range is extended, has not yet been ascertained. I have never seen it in collections either from the western or northern shores. Its favourite localities are open sterile downs, thinly covered with grasses or other kinds of vegetation; but it is occasionally to be met with on the grassy flats in the neighbourhood of rivers. It is much more tame in its disposition than the Wattled Pewit, and permits a near approach before taking alarm: hence there was but little difficulty in obtaining specimens. It trips very quickly over the ground, much after the manner of the true Pewits, and when Hushed generally flies off in a straight line, frequently very near the ground. Ihave never seen it mount in the air like the Common Lapwing, or perform during flight those sudden turns and dips so frequently exhibited by that species. So far as I have observed, it goes in pairs, or at most in companies of three. Nearly full-grown young were obtained in the month of November, from which we may infer that it is a very early breeder. The eggs are two or three in number, and are deposited on the bare ground without any nest ; they are one inch and a half long by one inch and an eighth broad ; ground colour light olive-grey, very thickly blotched and stained with brown, so as nearly to cover the surface, particularly at the larger end. For the two eggs in my collection I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. Kermode of Van Diemen’s Land, on whose estate they were taken. The sexes are alike in colour, but the female has the lobe before the eye much smaller than in the male. Crown of the head, line running from the angle of the mouth beneath the eye, and down the sides of the neck, and a broad crescent-shaped band across the breast jet-black ; line from the eye to near the occiput, chin, throat, flanks, abdomen, upper and under tail-coverts white ; back light brown : primaries brownish black ; wing-coverts bronzy brown, passing into black towards the tip of each feather, and tipped with white ; a few of the outer secondaries white, margined on the extremities of their outer webs with black, then a few entirely white, and the last two marked like the coverts, but largely margined with white : scapularies and lower part of the back bronzy brown ; rump dark olive with bronzy reflexions ; tail white, crossed near the tip by a broad irregular band of black ; tip of the upper mandible horn-colour ; the remainder of the bill beautiful primrose-yellow ; naked parts of the thigh and knees dark pink ; tarsi and toes blackish brown. the latter inclining to pink-red ; irides yellow, surrounded by a rim of deep primrose extending in an oblique direction to the fleshy protuberance at the base of the upper mandible, which is blood-red in the male, much lighter or flesh-red in the female. The figures represent both sexes of the natural size. ; a : g ‘ Q austunnitusananet/anelisan ett iva Ast SQUATAROLA HELVETICA. Grey Plover. Tringa Helvetica, Linn. Syst. Nat., vol. i. p. 250.—Gmel. Edit., vol. i. p. 676. Vanellus Helveticus, Briss. Orn., vol. v. p. 106. tab. 10. fig. 1.—Id. 8vo, vol. ii. p. 239. Charadrius hypomelas, Pall. Reise, vol. iu. p. 699. Vanneau de Suisse, Buff. Pl. Enl., 853.—Ib. Hist. des Ois., tom. viii. p. 60. Swiss Sandpiper, Lath. Gen. Syn., vol. v. p. 167.—Id. Supp., p. 248.*+Ib. Gen. Hist., vol. ix. p. 270. Tringa Squatarola, Linn. Faun. Suecica, No. 186.—Gmel. Edit. Linn. Syst. Nat., vol. i. p. 682. Vanellus griseus, Briss. Orn., vol. v. p. 100. tab. 9. fig. 1. melanogaster, Bechst.—-Temm. Man. d’Orn., vol. ii. p. 345.—Id. 2nd Edit., vol. ii. p. 547.—Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xill. p. 186. Vanneau Pluvier, Buff. Pl. Enl., 854.—Ib. Hist. des Ois., tom. viii. p. 68. Grey Plover and Grey Sandpiper of British authors. Squatarola helvetica, Cuv.—List of Birds in Brit. Mus. Coll., part ill. p. 62. [ wave compared specimens of this bird killed in Australia with others obtained in India, North America and Europe, and find the whole of them identical. I have never seen an Australian specimen with the rich black colouring of the under surface which renders Asiatic, American and Kuropean specimens so con- spicuous in the summer or breeding-season, hence we may infer that it is only the young birds that migrate so far to the southward as Australia; I say migrate, because I do not believe that it breeds in that country, but that it is merely an occasional or accidental visitor. The specimens I possess are from distant parts of the country, one being from the eastern and the other from the western colonies. Although it rather affects the low muddy shores of the sea-coast and the mouths of large rivers, and is seldom seen so far inland as the Golden Plover (Charadrius pluvialis), it has many habits in common with that species, and undergoes similar changes of plumage. Its food consists of worms, various kinds of insects and their larvee. Little is known respecting its nidification beyond the fact that the eggs are four in number, of a light olive blotched with black. The two Australian specimens above referred to have :— The crown of the head, upper surface and wings light olive, mottled with white ; primaries blackish brown, with the basal portion of their inner webs and the apical half of their shafts white ; rump white ; tail white, crossed by broad bars of light olive; face and all the under surface white, with numerous brown striae, and a wash of buff on the sides of the neck and across the breast ; irides blackish brown ; bill and feet blackish olive. The figures represent the two birds of the natural size. WT {UTTTAIUTN CHARADRIUS XANTHOCHELLUS, Wage. Australian Golden Plover. Charadrius xanthocheilus, Wagl. Syst. Av. Charadrius, sp. 36.—Jard. and Selb. Il. Orn., vol. 1. pl. 85. Turis species of Golden Plover, which I have referred to the Charadrius wanthocheilus of Wagler, although nowhere very abundant, is generally dispersed over all the colonies from Van Diemen’s Land to the extreme north of the continent of Australia, and I saw a specimen in the Museum at Sydney which had been procured on Melville Island; its range therefore is very extensive. I obtained several specimens on the banks of the Derwent in Van Diemen’s Land, observed it in small numbers on the flats below Clarence Plains, and also killed examples on one of the islands opposite Flinders’ Island. Its habits, manners, and general economy so closely resemble those of the Golden Plover ( Charadrius pluvialis) of Europe, that a description of one is equally characteristic of the other. Like that bird, it frequents open plains in the neighbourhood of marshy lands or the sea-beach, runs with amazing facility, and flies with equal rapidity. Indications of the future black colouring of the breast or breeding plumage begin to appear early in the spring, and as the season advances, every variety of colouring occurs from the mottled yellow of winter to the uniform black under-surface of summer, which latter state however is but seldom seen ; whence I am induced to doubt its remaining to breed in any of the southern parts of Australia. The full sammer plumage is as follows :—The whole of the upper surface and tail very dark brown, each feather with a series of oblong yellowish and whitish spots along their margins; primaries dark brown with white shafts; lores, sides of the face, breast and all the under surface jet-black, bounded by a broad mark of white, which crosses the forehead, passes over the eye, down the side of the neck and along the flanks, where it becomes broad and conspicuous ; under wing-coverts and the lengthened feathers covering the insertion of the wing uniform pale silvery brown; irides dark brown; bill dark olive; legs and feet leaden-grey. In the winter season the black and white markings of the under surface entirely disappear, and are replaced by a buffy tint mottled with brown, the mottled appearance being produced by a triangular spot of pale brown at the tip of each feather. The Plate represents the bird in the summer and winter plumage, and of the natural size. wuslnnaniinntanily UUM ‘ oes BS 5 5 STREPSILAS INTERPRES. Turnstone. Tringa Interpres, Linn. Syst. Nat., tom. i. p. 248.—Lath. Ind. Orn., vol. ii. Doo Strepsilas Interpres, Leach in Cat. of Brit. Mus., p. 29.—Steph. Cont. of Shaw’s Gen. Zool., vol. xi. p. 520. pl. 39. Strepsilas collaris, Temm. Man. d’Orn., tom. ii. p. 553. Ir any one bird be universally dispersed over the sea-shores of the globe, it is the Turnstone, for there are few of which it is not an inhabitant. I find no differences whatever between Australian and European specimens, nor do examples from America present sufficient variation to warrant any other conclusion than that the whole are one and the same species. I could never detect tie breeding-place of the Turnstone in any one of the Australian colonies, and I must not fail to add, that in the southern parts of that continent and Van Diemen’s Land, examples in the adult livery are but seldom seen, while individuals in the immature dress are very abundant ; on the contrary, most of the specimens from Raine’s Islet and other parts of Torres’ Straits are mature birds clothed in the full livery or breeding plumage. In all probability the northern parts of Australia will hereafter prove to be the part of the country in which it breeds, and that the young make an annual migration towards the south and disperse themselves over eyery part of the coasts of Southern Australia, the islands in Bass’s Straits and Van Diemen’s Land, all of which, as well as the Houtmann’s Abrolhos off the western coast, are visited by it. The habits, manners and economy of the bird in Australia differ not from those it exhibits in Europe ; there, as here, it feeds on marine insects, as well as on small bivalve mollusca and crustacea, which it finds by turning over stones with its bill; whence its popular name. The sexes when fully adult are alike, but the colours of the female are not so bright as those of the male ; the young even when they have attained the size of the adult differ considerably. The adult has the forehead, eyebrows, an oval spot before each eye, the centre of the throat, ear-coverts, nape of the neck, lower part of the back, abdomen and under tail-coverts white; from eye to eye across the forehead a band of black, which dips downwards in the centre to the bill; from the base of the lower man- dible proceeds a mark of black, which passes upwards to the eye, dilates backwards towards the nape, covers the front of the chest, and bifurcates towards the insertion of the wing; mantle and scapularies reddish brown irregularly varied with black; rump black ; wings black, the basal part of the inner webs and the shafts of the primaries white ; secondaries broadly tipped with white, forming a conspicuous bar across the wings; bill black ; irides black ; legs and feet rich orange, darkest on the joints. The young has the whole of the upper surface and the breast mottled brown and black, the white mark on the throat much larger, and only a trace of the white markings of the face and nape. The figures represent the two sexes of the natural size. uy MITT Vd AL € S WW Wriugb AN ¢ yay? py coLyeny A aay (ede SCOLOPAX AUSTRALIS, Lats. New Holland Snipe. Scolopax Australis, Lath. Ind. Orn. SU ee pe Exava New Holland Snipe, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 310.—Ib. Gen. Hist., vol. ix. p. 242. Scolopax Hardwicku, Gray, Zool. Misc., vol. i. p. 16. Gailinago Austrahs, List of Birds in Brit. Mus., part iii. p. 111, O-lateg-a, Aborigines of Port Essington. Ow comparing the Snipes killed at Port Essington with others obtained in Van Diemen’s Land, some trivial differences are found to exist, and which it is necessary to point out, in order that future observers may be induced to ascertain if they be identical or if they constitute two distinct species : ona minute examination, the Port Essington bird is found to have a shorter tail, and the four lateral feathers narrower than in that from Van Diemen’s Land; besides which, the tail of the former is composed of eighteen feathers in both sexes, while the specimens of the latter, contained in my collection, number but sixteen; it is true they were killed during a partial moult, which circumstance renders it somewhat doubtful whether sixteen be the right number or not. If the two birds should prove to be identical, then the range of the species will extend over the whole of Australia and Van Diemen’s Land ; still, like its prototype in Europe, its presence will depend much upon the occurrence of favourable localities ; for in fact the same laws that regulate the movements of one species equally govern those of the other. In Van Diemen’s Land it is very abundant during the months of October, November, December and January, affords excellent sport to those fond of snipe-shooting, and is to be found in all low swampy grounds, lagoons, rivulets and similar situations. Its weight varies from five ounces to six ounces and a quarter; it is consequently a much larger species than the Scolopaw Gallinago of Europe. It flies much heavier than that species, and thus affords a more easy mark for the sportsman; it is also more tame, sits closer, and when flushed flies but a short distance before it again alights. On rising it utters the same call of scape-scape as the Scolopaa Gallinago. It is said to breed in Van Diemen’s Land, but although many of the birds that I killed bore evident marks of youth, I could not satisfactorily ascertain that such was the case. Lieut. Breton, in his “ Excursion to the Western Range, Tasmania,” mentions that it always appears the last week in August or the first in September. I found it very abundant in many parts of New South Wales, in none more so than in the lagoons of the Upper Hunter, during the months of November and December ; but it was only a transient visitor, the lagoons and swampy places then filled with water having attracted it. Mr. Gilbert mentions that the Port Essington bird is only an occasional visitor to the Cobourg Peninsula, arriving about the middle of November, when the rainy season commences, and disappearing again in a few weeks ; during its short stay it inhabits swampy but open grassy meadows: he adds, that he never saw more than six or eight at a time, and always found them very wild. The stomachs of those examined were muscular, and contained small aquatic insects and sand. The sexes are so similar in colour that a separate description is not requisite. Crown of the head deep brownish black, divided down the centre by a line of buff; face and chin buffy white; sides of the neck, breast and flanks washed with pale reddish brown, and mooie. with irregular spots of deep brown, which increase in size, until on the flanks they assume the form a irregular bas ; back dark brownish black, the scapularies mottled with deep sandy buff, and broadly margined on their external webs with pale buff; wing-coverts dark brown, largely tipped with pale buff; wings dark ee all the feathers slightly fringed with white at the extremity ; lengthened flank-feathers regularly barred with puowa and white ; centre of the abdomen white ; under tail-coverts buff, barred with dark prow four canara tail- feathers blackish brown, crossed near the tip by a broad band of rufous, beyond which is a narrow irregular line of brown, and the tip white; the lateral feathers alternately ee val dark and obey brown, and tipped with white ; irides dark brown; basal half of the bill yellowish olive, the remainder dark brown ; legs yellowish white tinged with olive. The figures represent a male and a female killed in Van Diemen’s Land. MAL UY NPP PUVA ayy YP T STV al t ; ASV XVa (Oa YIN DI PP MAIYONY ) HT PUY pynoy 7? RHYNCHAA AUSTRALIS, ea Australian Rhynchea. Rhynchea Australis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V. p. 155; and in Syn. Birds of Australia, Part IV. Tue Australian Rhynchea is a summer visitant to New South Wales, where it arrives in August and September ; but whether its visits are regular, or only occur in such wet seasons as fill the lagoons and cause a redundance of rushes and other herbage to spring forth, I know not; in all probability they are entirely influenced by the character of the season, as none but the most humid situations appear to suit its habits. During the fine season of 1839, when much rain had fallen and the whole face of the country was covered with the most luxuriant and varied verdure, and every hollow formed a shallow lagoon, this bird was tolerably plentiful in the district of the Upper Hunter, particularly in the flats of Segenho, Aberdeen, Scone, &c. Although I did not succeed in finding its nest, no doubt exists in my mind of its breeding in the immediate locality, as on dissecting a female an egg was found in the ovarium, nearly of the full size, and ready to receive its calcareous covering or shell. In its habits and disposition this bird partakes both of the true Snipe and Sandpiper ; it neither lies so close nor has it the crouching manner of the true Snipes, but exposes itself to view like the Sandpipers, running about either among the rushes or on the bare ground at the edge of the water: on being disturbed, those I saw generally flew off toward the brush, seeking shelter among the low bushes, from which they were not easily driven or forced to take wing. It flies straighter, slower, more laboured and nearer to the ground than the true Snipes. Considerable confusion has always existed respecting the members of the group to which this bird belongs, the opposite sexes of the same species having been described as distinct ; from actual dissection, however, of numerous examples, and from seeing these birds mated in a state of nature, I am enabled to affirm that the figures in the accompanying Plate are accurate representations of an adult male and female. This species will be found on comparison to possess among other characters much shorter toes than the Indian and Chinese species, to which it is most nearly allied. On dissection I also observed an anatomical peculiarity of a very extraordinary nature, the more so as it exists in the female alone; I allude to the great elongation of the trachea, which passes down between the skin and the muscles forming the breast for the whole length of the body, making four distinct con- volutions before entering the lungs. On discovering this extraordinary formation I immediately placed the body in spirits, for the examination of my friend Mr. Yarrell, who, as is well known, has paid great attention to this part of the organization of birds, and who informs me that the position and form of the trachea in the Rhynchea Australis is similar to that of the Semipalmated Goose, figured in the 15th volume of the Trans. Linn. Soc. Tab. 14. The Cranes, Swans, Guans, &c., present us with species having the trachea most singularly developed, several of them with extensive convolutions before entering the mn) some with a receptacle for its folds within the cavity of the keel of the breast-bone; while m euhets it 1s situated outside the pectoral muscles, immediately beneath the outer skin of the breast; but in no instance is it more extensively or more curiously developed than in the present bird. The use of this conformation so exclusively confined to one, and that the female sex, I could not in any way discover or surmise. No note whatever was heard to proceed from either sex, while on the wing or when flushed. : The female has a stripe from the bill down the centre of the head to the nape pal but 3 cumele sur- rounding and a short stripe behind each eye white; back of the neck eH erase with indistinct narrow bars of greenish brown ; crown dark brown ; sides of the face, and the sides and forepart of tne neck cho- colate ; chin white; back olive-green tinged with grey, and marbled with dark brown ; ee ae on their external webs with deep buff; wing-coverts olive-green, crossed by numerous fine irregular eye black ; tertiaries olive-green tinged with grey, crossed by irregular Wa and mumenously spond with black; three outer primaries dark brown, crossed on their outer welds vn broad innegula patches of deep buff, and sprinkled with grey on the inner; the remainder of the ie and the ee grey, : a by numerous narrow irregular lines of black, and spotted with white ee with black ; ; ae grey like the secondaries, but spotted with both white and! bul, each of ee Oe a ae : ho black ; breast and all the under surface white, with a large irregular peice of ole: grou narrowly barrec with black, on each side of the chest; bill pale green at the base, passing into brownish horn-colour at the tip; irides rather dark hazel; legs pale green. : is The male is much smaller than the female, and has the sides, back and a of the neck ae lighte1 and mingled with patches of white ; wings more olive, the coverts ane with ae a patches of buff, encircled with a narrow line of black; the buf ae on oe ves 1 ae a ae distinct ; the scapularies speckled with white ; the patch on each side of the chest dark ‘ arg patches of white surrounded by a line of black. The figures represent both sexes of the natur al size. hug prepay yy) vO? + SVTV ELS WV i’ e ts F A 7 }, si t Es 7 7 ® } " i Y ¢ v Pe } p y i ‘ — : Wel HON AA al gh ye C2QYIVT Df PP PTHID NUMENIUS AUSTRALUS eu Australian Curlew. Numenus Australis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V. Oar ltaon Wid-joo-on-ong, Aborigines of the Murray River, Western Australia. Man-do-weidt, Aborigines of Port Essington. Curlew, of the Colonists. In investigating the ornithology of any part of the world we find many instances of species so closely resembling others, known to be inhabitants of distant countries, that they at first sight appear to be identical, but on a more careful comparison and examination they prove to be merely representatives; in no case however is this law of representation, for such it must be called, so decidedly marked as in Australia, where not a few, but numerous, instances occur of birds so closely resembling others peculiar to Kurope and Northern India, that they appear to be the same; and the present bird may be cited as a case in point, for a casual observer would at once pronounce it to be the Common Curlew of Europe ; on comparison, however, it is found to differ from that species in having a longer bill, in the rump and upper tail-coverts bemg barred with brown instead of white, and in the under surface being washed with buff. The range of this species over Australia appears to be universal, for I have received specimens from Port Essington, Swan River, South Australia, New South Wales, Van Diemen’s Land, and all the islands in Bass’s Straits; but in no one of these countries is it more abundant than in Van Diemen’s Land, where it is to be met with in flocks in the neighbourhood of rivers and marshy situations, uttering a very similar call, and exhibiting the same actions and manners as the Common Curlew of Kurope; like that bird, it is also especially fond of running over the flats left bare by the receding tide, to feed upon the various molluscous animals abounding in such situations. The weight of this bird is about two pounds: the stomachs of those dissected were found to be extremely muscular, and contained the remains of shelled mollusks, crabs, &c. The breeding ground has not yet been discovered ; the bird probably retires to the high lands of Van Diemen’s Land or Australia Felix for that purpose. A similarity of colouring pervades both sexes. Crown of the head and back of the neck blackish brown, each feather margined with buff; back blackish brown, each feather irregularly blotched with reddish buff on the margins ; wing-coverts blackish brown, margined with greyish white ; tertiaries brown, irregularly blotched on the margins with lighter brown ; rump and upper tail-coverts dark brown, barred across the margins with greyish buff; tail light brown, crossed with bars of dark brown; greater coverts blackish brown, slightly tipped with white; first five primaries dark brown with white stems, the remainder and the secondaries crossed by irregular interrupted bars of white; sides of the face, throat, and all the under surface pale buff, with a fine line of blackish brown down the centre of each feather; basal half of the bill flesh-colour tinged with olive ; apical portion deep blackish brown; legs bluish lead-colour ; irides dark brown. The figure is of the natural size. ew 1 a priyvwey pay 7} Pye Ji Ty] ( | © L N V & 5 | TAY at ) X ¥ “ YRUY LP iy ap. AOLYIV DY Puy Pyupg WP aN NUMENIUS UROPYGIALIS, Gow. Australian Whimbrel. Numenwus uropygialis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VIII. p. 175. Man-do-weidt, Aborigines of Port Essington. Tuts species is somewhat smaller than the Mumenius Pheopus of Europe, and moreover differs in having the rump barred and mottled instead of a pure white as in that bird; in other respects they are so similar that a description of one would apply with nearly equal accuracy to the other ; the Australian bird is how- ever of a paler brown than its European ally. It is distributed over the whole of Australia as well as Van Diemen’s Land, wherever localities occur suitable to. its habits, which are so precisely similar to those of the Munenius Pheopus, that a description of them is quite unnecessary. It is generally met with in large flocks in swampy districts on the banks of rivers and all similar situations ; I killed several specimens on the Hunter in New South Wales, but could never succeed in discovering its eggs, whence I infer that for the purposes of incubation it betakes itself to the interior of the country. The sexes are so precisely alike, that by dissection alone can we distinguish the one from the other. Crown of the head brown, with a narrow irregular stripe of buffy white down the centre; lores and line behind the eye brown ; line over the eye, neck and breast buffy white, with a brown line down the centre of each feather, the brown colour predominating ; centre of the back and scapulary feathers dark olive, spotted on their margins with light buff; wing-coverts the same, but lighter, and presenting a mottled appearance ; primaries blackish brown with light shafts ; rump and upper tail-coverts barred with brown and white; tail pale brown, barred with dark brown; chin, lower part of the abdomen and under tail- coverts white; bill blackish horn-colour, fleshy at the base; feet greyish black. The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size. Z yg ST" TP i Zest Ty CRT Tard EL IMAL AOD ST NUMENIUS MINUTUS, Gow. Little Whimbrel. Numenius minutus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VIII. p. 176. I KtLxep a pair of this species out of a flock of about twenty in number which was flying over the race- course at Maitland in New South Wales, on the 4th of April 1839. The flock was constantly rismg and flying round, sometimes to the distance of a mile, returning again, alighting, and running quickly over the ground much after the manner of the Plovers. The above was the only instance in which the bird came under my observation during my stay in the country, consequently I am unable to state anything respecting its habits or the extent of its range, but I may mention that I possess a specimen procured at Port Essington. Forehead dark brown mottled with buff; lores and line behind the eye buff; back, sides and front of the neck buff, with a fine line of brown down the centre of each feather; all the upper surface blackish brown, with a series of triangular spots round the margins of the feathers of a sandy buff; shoulders, primaries and secondaries blackish brown, the latter with white shafts ; rump and tail-coverts dark brown spotted with white on the margins ; tail greyish brown barred with black ; chin white; under surface light buff; flanks and under surface of the wing deep buff, regularly barred with arrow-shaped marks of brown ; irides black ; bill fleshy at the base, olive-brown at the tip; feet bluish flesh-colour. The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size. het] MAPA LPP Pa UD VI PYF AOD ILL VA? Pe? 7 GERONTICUS SPINICOLLIS. Straw-necked Ibis. New Holland Ibis, Lath. Gen. Hist. of Birds, vol. ix. p. 167. Ibis spinicolhs, Jameson, Edinb. New Phil. Journ., No. xxxvii. p. 213.—Jard. and Selb. Il. Orn) Ol aivenle esate Ibis lamellicollis, LaFres. Mag. de Zool. 1836, Liv. 4™° et Sue oie Tuis beautiful Ibis has never yet been discovered out of Austr country it is probably distributed, as it is more abundant in certain localities at one season than at another ; its presence in fact appears to depend upon whether the season be or be not favourable to increase of the lower animals upon which the vast hordes of this bird feed. After the severe drought of 1839 it was in such abundance on the Liverpool Plains, and on those of the Lower Namoi, th alia, over the whole of which immense at to compute the number in a single flock was impossible. It was also very numerous on the sea side of the great Liverpool range, inhabiting the open down and flats, particularly such as were studded with shallow lagoons, through which it would wade knee-high in search of shelled mollusks, frogs, newts and insects : independently of the food I have mentioned, it feeds on grasshoppers and insects generally. The natives informed me that sometimes many seasons elapse without the bird being seen. Where then does it go? To what country does it pass? Does there not exist a vast oasis in the centre of Australia, to which the bird migrates when it is not found in the located parts of the country ? We may reasonably suppose such to be the case. The Straw-necked Ibis walks over the surface of the ground in a very stately manner; it perches readily on trees, and its flight is both singular and striking, particularly when large flocks are passing over the plains, at one moment showing their white breasts, and at the next, by a change in their position, exhibiting their dark-coloured backs and snow-white tails. During the large semicircular sweeps they take over the plains, and when performing a long flight, they rise tolerably high in the air; the whole flock then arrange themselves in the form of a figure or letter similar to that so frequently observed in flights of geese and ducks. The note is a loud, hoarse, croaking sound, which may be heard at a considerable distance. When feeding in flocks they are closely packed, and from the constant movement of their bills and tails, the whole mass seems in perpetual motion. In disposition this bird is rather shy than otherwise ; still, with a very little care, numerous successful shots may be made with an ordinary fowling-piece. The sexes when fully adult exhibit the same beautiful metallic colouring of the plumage. The female is however smaller, and has the straw-like appendages on the neck less prolonged and less stout than in the male. Mature birds only have the whole of the head and back of the neck quite bare of feathers. Head and forepart of the neck naked, and of a dull inky black ; back and sides of the neck clothed with white down; on the front of the neck and breast the shafts of the feathers are produced into long lanceolate straw-like and straw-coloured processes, with merely a rudiment of the lateral webs at the base; sides and back of the neck, breast and all the upper surface rich shining bronzy green and purple, crossed, parti- cularly on the wing-coverts, scapularies and outer webs of the secondaries, with numerous bars of dull black ; primaries and inner webs of the secondaries dull greenish black; abdomen, flanks, under tail-coverts and tail white; bill dull black, crossed at the base by irregular transverse bars of yellowish brown ; irides dark brown ; thighs crimson; legs blackish brown, the two colours blending on the knee. Immature birds have the head and neck clothed with white down, the straw-like appendages less in number, and less of the rich colouring on the breast. The Plate represents an adult and immature bird, about two-thirds of the natural size. Os > ASRS RAN EP A - ery ° S s & ae 9 true VA) I J J 4 Os 4 fo ‘ fon B iO, i) via E ce ’ ~ @d 2 Vth S “| — ~ a on a f ‘ wea: . ae a eA : ; 3 ae p CAN ) yy gen: a ‘ w "7 7 fe THRESKIORNIS STRICTIPENNIS. White Ibis. This sirictipenms, Gould in Proce. of Zool. Soc., Part V. p. 106. Yam-bull-bull, Aborigines of Port Essington. Black-necked Ibis, Colonists of Port Essington, White [bis of the Colonists of New South Wales. Tue same cause that induced the Straw-necked Ibis (Geronticus spinicollis) to visit New South Wales in suck abundance during the year 1839 acted equally on the present bird, which was not only observed at the same period, but the two species were frequently seen in company ; one marked difference, however, was noticed, namely, that while the Geronticus spinicollis visited equally the lagoons and the plains, the Threskiornis strictipennis confined itself solely to the wet hollows of flats, the banks of rivers, lagoons, &c., wading knee-deep among the rushes and green herbage in search of frogs, newts and insects, upon which it feeds ; when satiated it mounted upon the bare branches of the large gum-trees bordering the feeding-place, and then beeame so watchful that it could not be approached within gun-shot without the utmost caution. The natives as well as the colonists assured me that it was seldom so abundant as at the period of my visit, and I believe that many seasons sometimes elapse without its appearing there at all. I encountered this bird either in pairs or in small flocks of from five to twenty in number, but it was never a hundredth part so plentiful as the Geronticus spinicollis. Like that bird it must retire to some unknown part of Australia, doubtless towards the interior, a single skin from the north coast being all that I have ever seen from any other part of the country. The Threskiornis strictipennis may at all times be distinguished from its near ally 7. dthopica, inhabiting the banks of the Nile, as well as from the 7. melanocephala, by the lengthened plumes which hang down from the front of the neck, and from which its specific appellation has been taken. Dissection is necessary to distinguish the sexes, as they vary little, if at all, in size or colouring. Head and upper half of the neck bare, and with the bill of a deep slaty black ; back of the head and neck crossed by ten narrow distinct bands of rose-pink, and on the crown of the head a series of oval spots, arranged in the form of a star, of the same colour; the whole of the body and wings white, tinged with buff; the feathers on the fore-part of the neck long, narrow, lanceolate and stiff; primaries tipped with deep bluish green ; webs of the tertiaries extremely prolonged and recurved, and of a deep blue-black mingled with white ; thighs and knees deep purple ; tarsi and feet light purple; irides dark brown. The Plate represents two birds rather less than two-thirds of the natural size. "tr ee a i huynepuouey TL PY PVUDP Vp pyy 7 Yn} D Pp wry: en FALCINELLUS IGNEUS. Glossy Ibis. Tantalus Falcinellus, Linn., vol. i. p. 241.—Lath. Ind. Orn., vol. ii. p. 707.—Gmel. Linn., vol. i. p. 648.—Penn. Brit. Zool., vol. 1. p. 30. Ibis Falcinellus, Flem. Brit. Anim., p. 102.—Selby, Brit. Orn., vol. i. p. 56.—Jenyns, Brit. Vert., p. 194.—Gould, Birds of Europe, vol. iv—Temm. Man. d’Orn., tom. i. p. 598.—Yarrell, Brit. Birds, vol. ii. p. 505. Tantalus igneus, Gmel. Linn., vol. i. p. 649.—Lath. Ind. Orn., vol. ii. p. 708.—Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. ix. p. 154. Falcinellus igneus, G. R. Gray, Gen. of Birds, 2nd edit., p. 87. Tue present species is one of the few birds inhabiting both hemispheres ; I believe that I have seen speci- mens from nearly every country of the Old World, and it has also been found in every part of the vast con- tinent of Australia at present known to us. I have observed examples in the collection formed by Mr. Bynoe on the north coast, others in the collections lately transmitted to this country by the Governor of South Australia, and I possess others obtained in New South Wales. A careful comparison of all these specimens with others killed in Europe has satisfied me that they are identical. I never observed if im a state of nature myself, and from what I could learn from the colonists, its presence must be regarded as acci- dental; it is not a stationary species, nor are its migratory movements characterized by any degree of regularity. Head dark chestnut; neck, breast, top of the back, upper edge of the wing and all the under surface rich reddish chestnut ; lower part of the back, rump, quill- and tail-feathers of a dark green, with bronze and purple reflexions ; orbits olive-green ; irides brown; bill, legs and feet dull olive-brown. As considerable difference exists between youth and maturity, I have figured the bird in both states of plumage, rather more than two-thirds of the natural size. GRUS AUSTRALASIANUS, Gould. Australian Crane. Grus Australasianus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., November 1847. Native Companion, of the Colonists. Havine carefully compared the bird here represented with the Grus Antig hitherto been considered identical, I am satisfied that it is entir assigned to it the specific term of Australasianus, whic one of India, with which it has ely distinct, and I have consequently h in this instance is more than ordinarily appropriate, since it is applied to the only species of the form inhabiting the country. The Grus dustralascanus is abundantly distributed over the greater portion of Australia from New South Wales on the south to Port Kssington on the north; but although it is thus widely diffused, it has not yet been observed in the colony of Swan River, and it does not inhabit Van Diemen’s Land. It was frequently observed by Dr. Leichardt during his overland expedition from Moreton Bay; Captain Sturt states that it was very abundant on the Macquarrie; and I found it very numerous in the neighbourhood of the Namoi and on the Brezi Plains in December 1839, as well as on the low flat islands at the mouth of the Hunter. In these localities it may be seen at almost every season of the year, sometimes singly or in pairs, and at others in flocks of from thirty to forty in number. Like other members of the genus Grus, it is most stately and elegant in all its actions, and adds greatly to the interest of the scenery which is ornamented with its presence. It is not unfrequently captured, and is very easily tamed: when at Paramatta I saw a remarkably fine example walking about the streets in the midst of the inhabitants perfectly at its ease ; and Mr. James McArthur informed me that a pair which he had kept in the immediate neighbourhood of his house at Camden, and which had become perfectly domesticated, so far attracted the notice of a pair of wild birds as to induce them to settle and feed near the house, make acquaintance with himself and the other members of his establishment, and becoming still tamer, to approach the yard, feed from his hand, and even to follow the domesticated birds into the kitchen, until unfortunately a servant imprudently seizing at one of the wild birds and tearing a handful of feathers from its back, the wildness of its disposition was roused, and darting forth followed by its companion it mounted in the air soaring higher and higher at every circle, at the same time uttering its hoarse call, which was responded to by the tame birds below; for several days did they return and perform the same evolutions without alighting, until the dormant impulses of the tame birds being aroused they also mounted high in the air, winged their way to some far-distant part of the country, and never returned to the home where they been had so long fostered. It is a bird of powerful flight, and performs journeys of vast extent from one part of the country to another: when near the ground the action of the wings is very laboured; but when soaring in a series of circles at such a height in the air as to be almost imperceptible to human vision, it appears to be altogether as easy and graceful ; it is while performing these gyrations that it frequently utters its hoarse croaking ery. It breeds on the ground, usually depositing its two eggs in a slight depression on the bare plains ; but occasionally the low swampy lands in the vicinity of the coast are resorted to for that purpose. The eggs are three inches and a half long by two inches and a quarter in breadth, and are of a cream-colour blotched all over, particularly at the larger end, with chestnut and purplish brown, the latter colour appearing as if beneath the surface of the shell. Its food consists of insects, lizards, bulbous roots and various other vegetable substances, in search of which it tears up the earth with great facility with its powerful bill. The sexes are alike in colouring, but may be distinguished by the smaller size of the female. This fine bird, which stands about four feet high, may be thus described :— The general plumage deep silvery grey; the feathers of the back dark brownish grey with silvery grey edges ; lesser wing-coverts dark brown ; primaries black ; os of the head and bill olive-green, the bill becoming lighter towards the tip; irides fine orange-yellow; raised fleshy papille surrounding the oe and the back of the head fine coral-red, passing into an orange tint above and below the eye, and becoming less brilliant on the sides of the face, which together with the gular pouch is covered with Oe black hairs, so closely set on the latter as almost to conceal the red colouring of the skin; upper part of the pough and the bare skin beneath the lower mandible olive-green ; in old males the gular pouch is very pendulous, and forms a conspicuous appendage ; legs and feet purplish black. The figure is about one-fourth of the natural size. X PLATALEA FLAVIPES, Gowd Yellow-legged Spoonbill. Platalea flavipes, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V. p. 106; and in Syn. Birds of Australia, Part IV. Tus species differs in so many points from the typical members of the genus Platalea, and has so many characters in common with the white Ibises of India and Africa, as almost to warrant its separation into a distinct genus ; its whole habits and economy, however, so closely assimilate to those of the true Spoonbills, that I am induced to retain it in the genus to which I originally assigned it. The bill and legs, although approximating to those of the Ibises, are more slightly modified than some parts of its plumage; and it must be admitted, that in the lengthened feathers of the chest, in the flowing black plumes which fall so gracefully over the extremities of the primaries, and in the total absence at any period of the occipital plumes, it approximates very closely to the Sacred Ibis and its near allies. The rainy and luxuriant season which followed the drought experienced in New South Wales in 1889, attracted to that part of Australia, among many other rare birds, numerous flocks of the species forming the subject of the present Plate ; in fact, so plentiful was it, that there was scarcely a brook or lagoon from the Hunter to the Lower Namoi that was not tenanted by numbers of this bird; in most instances accom- panied by Straw-necked and White Ibises (Jbis spinicollis and Ibis strietipennis). T he food suitable to one species was equally so to the other, all devouring with equal avidity the thousands of aquatic insects, small- shelled mollusks, &c., which the rains had apparently called into being. I particularly mention its occurrence at this period, as I had not observed a single example during a previous visit to the same districts, when the whole face of the country presented as sad a spectacle of sterility as could well be imagined. Over what extent of Australia this fine bird will hereafter be found to range it is impossible to conjecture; as yet I have never received a specimen from any other part than New South Wales. In disposition I found it shy and distrustful, and it was not without a considerable degree of caution and maneeuvring that I could ever approach sufficiently near to make a successful shot. I have occasionally met with it singly, but more frequently in pairs or in small companies of from six to eight. When not occupied in procuring food, which they do while skirting the edge of the lagoon, or by wading knee-deep among the grasses and rushes, they may be seen reposing on the dead branches of the highest trees growing near the water, frequently standing on one leg, with the head drawn back and the bill resting on the breast ; when thus situated, an approach sufficiently near to procure specimens is almost impossible. The sexes exhibit no external differences, and are only to be distinguished by dissection ; the female is, however, rather smaller than her mate. The whole of the plumage is pure white, with the exception of the outer webs of the tertiaries, which are black ; face white, entirely devoid of feathers, and bounded posteriorly by a narrow line of black ;_ bill primrose-yellow, passing into fleshy pink at the base ; irides straw-white ; legs and feet yellow; nails black. The figure is that of a male rather more than half the natural size. PLATALEA REGIA, Gow. Royal Spoonbill. Platalea regia, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V. p. 106; and in Syn. Birds of Australia, Part IV. Tuts fine species of Spoonbill may be readily distinguished from the Platalea leucorodia of Europe by the nudity of its face, which even considerably beyond the eyes is entirely destitute of feathers, and is of the same black colour as the bill; in other respects—size and colouring of the plumage—little difference exists between the two species. The fine crest which adorns the principal figure in the accompanying Plate ce doubtless, only assumed during the pairing and breeding season, as I have seen adult specimens both with and without these feathers, and this is precisely the case with the European bird. The Royal Spoonbill is tolerably common on the eastern and northern coast of Australia, and I have been informed that, although a rare visitant there, it has been killed within the colony of New South Wales. All my specimens were procured at Moreton Bay, and I have seen others from Port Essington. In its habits and disposition it as closely assimilates to the Spoonbill of Europe as in the general appearance ; taking up its abode on the margin of those marshy inlets of the sea that run for a considerable distance into the interior, as well as those of rivers and lakes, feeding upon small-shelled mollusks, frogs, insects and the fry of fish, which are readily taken by its beautifully organized bill. But little difference exists in the outward appearance of the sexes, both having the ornamental crest, which at the will of the bird is spread out on all sides, and droops gracefully over the back of the neck. The whole of the plumage is white ; bill, face, legs and feet black ; on the crown of the head and over each eye a triangular mark of orange; eye red. The figures are those of a male and a female, rather more than half the natural size. MYCTERIA AUSTRALIS, cau. Australian Mycteria. Mycteria Austrahs, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. lxiv.—Shaw in Linn. Trans., vol. v. p. 34.—Vieill. 2nde édit. du Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., tom. xvi. p. 440.—Ib. Ency. Méth., tom. iii. p. 1035.—List of Birds in Brit. Mus. Coll., part iii. p. 89.—Less. Traité d’Orn., p. 583.—Ib. Man. d’Orn., tom. ii. p. 249.—Swains. Class. of Birds, vol. ii. p. 355. New Holland Jabiru, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 294. pl. 188.—Shaw, Nat. Misc., pl. 601.—Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. ix. p. 16.—Steph. Cont. of Shaw’s Gen. Zool., vol. xi. p. 627. | Cicona leucoptera, Wagl. Syst. Av. Ciconia, sp. 6. Australis, Temm. Barri-enna, Aborigines of New South Wales. I regret much that the economy of this fine bird is not at all known to me; I did not meet with it in a state of nature, but I learnt that it possesses a wide range over the continent of Australia; and that it is more abundant on the northern and eastern shores than elsewhere : when the country was first colonized it was found as near to Sydney as Botany Bay, and even now is sometimes seen on the small islands in the mouth of the river Hunter; as we proceed eastward to Moreton Bay it becomes more common, and in the neighbourhood of the Clarence and MacLeay it may be almost daily seen: both Mr. Gilbert and Mr. McGil- livray met with it at Port Essington, but did not procure specimens; the former also encountered it in the lagoons of the interior, while in company with Dr. Leichardt. No bird is more shy in disposition or more difficult of approach, its feeding-ground and resting-place being always in the most exposed situation, such as spits of land running out into the sea, large morasses, &c., where it can survey all around. Its food is said to be very varied, consisting of every kind of animal life inhabiting marshy situations, but more particularly fish and reptiles. Head and neck rich deep glossy green, changing into purple and violet at the occiput ; greater wing- coverts both above and beneath, scapularies, lower part of the back and tail rich glossy green, tinged with a golden lustre ; the remainder of the plumage pure white; bill black ; irides dark hazel ; legs fine red. The figure of this noble bird, which stands nearly four feet high, is necessarily very much reduced, and is scarcely one-fourth of the natural size. COW WX Oc a 3 @ or ye uy} ee Le} , o% & s P) aa s P : . 4 S a pag P Cr: | Re = op I ee : om : ES) : Po oa S rf $ - : x“ Q > 4 4 o ¢ a, e A >) Ov: 5 } , spaniel np ILI EN 5 : a ; FJ & Fe > ° 4 ls ‘s S D ie . > mT “4 a . 3 t- i~% Y F y a a we in FS ‘OC > S = 3 y 5 j < A ARDEA PACIFICA, zat. Pacific Heron. Ardea pacifica, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. lxv.—Jard. and Selb. Ill. Orn., vol. ii. pl. 90.—Swains. Class. of Birds, vol. il. p. 354.—List of Birds in Brit. Mus. Coll pant: len nw ace Pacific Heron, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 305.—Ib. Gen. Hist., vol. ix. p. 127. Ardea Ballaragang, Wagl. Syst. Av. Gen. ANOICE), BD), B Jil-lee-mil-yun, Aborigines of the lowland, and Koon-jere, Aborigines of the mountain districts of Western Australia. White-necked Heron of the Colonists. Tur Ardea pacifica appears to be a summer visitor to the whole of the southern coast of Australia. In New South Wales its occurrence depends in a great degree upon the nature of the season; that is, if much rain has fallen, the lagoons and rivers become filled, and abounding with frogs, newts, and aquatic insects: its presence may be looked for in all such situations, where it wades about in search of the animals enumerated, upon all of which it feeds with avidity, and partakes less of fish than other herons. No one of the Ardeide is more ornamental to the landscape than the present bird, its white neck offering a decided and pleasing contrast to the green colouring of the herbage with which it is surrounded; its walk too is characterized by a greater degree of stateliness and grace than that of most of the other members of the group. In general it merely flies from district to district in search of a more abundant supply of food; but when necessity requires, it is capable of performing extensive journeys. The stomach is capacious and membranous. Considerable variation exists in the colouring of this species, some specimens having the neck wholly white, while others have the centre of that part spotted with black. The sexes when fully adult are so nearly alike, that it is only by the smaller size of the female that they can be distinguished from each other. Head, neck and elongated feathers of the breast white, tinged with purplish grey; on the forepart of the neck a series of irregularly placed black spots; upper surface, wings and tail bluish black, glossed with green on the back and wing-coverts ; under surface chocolate-brown, each feather of the abdomen with a broad stripe of white down the centre ; feathers of the breast and the elongated ee deep purplish red, the tips and outer webs of some of the latter dull green ; shoulder and edge of the wing pure WM g upper mandible black, lower part of the under mandible yellowish olive in some specimens and yellowish horn-colour in others; irides in some specimens rich primrose-yellow, and in others very dark brown ; upper part of the tarsi yellowish olive; feet black ; orbits greenish yellow, becoming more yellow imme- diately before and round the eye. The figure represents a male about two-thirds of the natural size. tan sid ' b + a Ns ee Y 7 - “ LL we Pa “ . h » H * + "- 5 it)" ; | a. | a | 4 i \ H y 4 Her i ‘ AE 3 p' we ; v { ” >>> < : by ' t cb 4 QJ ¢r| 7 | a a 77, } i 5 t es he eines Meee k ] a See sae yi oS aL : - a ¢ ) - : uw ‘ oo } ‘ a , L 7) é i] } F X 1 q id ba © - 2 Z roe Ke A . ro ARDEA NOV ®=-HOLLANDIAS Lath. White-fronted Heron. Ardea Nove-Hollandie, Lath. Ind. Orn., vol. ii. p. 701.—Steph. Cont. of Shaw’s Gen. Zool., vol. xi. p. 561. White-fronted Heron, Lath. Gen. Syn., Supp., vol. ii. p. 304.—Phill. Bot. Bay, pl. in p. 163 Penk Outlin., vol. iv p. 128.—Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. ix. De le Ardea leucops, Wagl. Syst. Av., Ardea, sp. 17. Herodias Nove-Hollandie, List of Birds in Brit. Mus. Coll., part iil. p. 80. Wy-an, Aborigines of the lowland districts of Western Australia. Blue Crane of the Colonists. Tur White-fronted Heron is abundantly dispersed over every part of Van Diemen’s Land, the colonies of New South Wales, South Australia and Swan River; but I have never seen it from the north coast, and consequently infer that it is not found there. Low sandy beaches washed by the open ocean, arms of the sea, and the sides of rivers and lagoons, both in the interior of the country as well as near the coast, are equally tenanted by it, consequently it is one of the commonest species of the genus in all the countries above-mentioned ; and may frequently be seen wading knee-deep im the water of the salt marshes in search of food, which consists of crabs, fish, and marine insects. Its flight is heavy and flapping like that of the other Herons, but it runs more quickly over the ground, and is continually moving about when searching for food, and never stands motionless in the water as the true Herons do; these active habits are in fact necessary to enable it to capture insects and crabs, upon which it mainly subsists. Some nests I observed in the month of October 1838, on the banks of the Derwent, were placed on the tops of the smaller gum-trees, and most of them contained newly-hatched birds; Mr. Kermode informed me that it annually breeds in the neighbourhood of his estate, which is near the centre of Van Diemen’s Land. The nest is of a moderate size, and is composed of sticks and leaves. The eggs are four in number, of a pale bluish green, one inch and seven-eighths long by one inch and a quarter broad. The white colouring of the face and throat is much more extensive in some individuals than in others ; and the base of the bill, the orbits and irides are deep lead-colour in some specimens, while in others those parts are pale grey, and the irides pale buff. The stomach is very capacious, and the weight of the adult bird about one pound five ounces. Little or no difference is observable in the sexes ; but the female is somewhat smaller than her mate. Face and throat white; crown of the head and back of the neck dark slate-colour; sides of the neck, all the upper surface and wings dark grey, tinged with brown on the wings; primaries and tail-feathers dark slate-colour ; elongated feathers of the back grey, tinged with brown ; elongated feathers of the breast cinnamon-brown ; under surface grey, washed with rufous, which tint becomes gradually paler as it proceeds along the abdomen to the under tail-coverts; down the lower part of the neck a stripe of buff, gradually blending above with the white of the throat, and below with the cinnamon tint of the breast ; irides in some lead-colour, in others yellow, and in others pale buff; orbits and base of the bill, in some pale grey, in others deep lead-colour ; base of the lower mandible flesh-colour. The figure is that of a male about four- fifths of the natural size. ARDEA RECTIROSTRIS. Great-billed Heron. Ardea rectirostris, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part XI. p- 22, Oo-loo-mung-a, Aborigines of Port Essington, Gilbert. Maitch, Aborigines of Port Essington, McGillivray. Tur only part of Australia in which this bird has been seen is the Cobourg Peninsula on the north coast, where Mr. Gilbert found it breeding on the 5th of February. He states that it is solitary in its habits, and is only to be found in the most secluded creeks or in the open spaces among the mangroves. Mr. McGillivray observed it at Port Essington, but could not obtain any information respecting it. A fine adult specimen was procured by Dr. Sibbald, R.N., and Mr. McGillivray was so fortunate as to kill a young bird in a large mangrove swamp at the head of a bay called Wan-man-mema : it was exceedingly shy and watchful of his motions, and he had great difficulty in getting even a long shot at it. The nest observed by Mr. Gilbert was built m an upright fork of a large and lofty Melaleuca at about eighty feet from the ground, and was formed of an outer layer of very strong sticks, with a few small twigs as a lining, and contained two eggs of a light ash-grey. The bird when discovered appeared very reluctant to leave the nest, and instead of the harsh croak usually uttered by it, emitted on this occasion a note drawn out toa considerable length, and at times resembling distant thunder, which was suddenly changed to a sound very like the groan of a person in extreme agony. Mr. Gilbert unfortunately failed in procuring the adults ; and a young bird is all of this species contained in my collection: an adult male may be found in that of the British Museum. The stomach is membranous, and the food consists of fish. Head, neck and all the upper surface vinous brown, a few of the back feathers with a faint line of white down the centre, and the primaries and tail washed with grey; chin white ; front of the neck and all the under surface greyish brown, the lengthened plumes on the lower part of the neck and chest with a stripe of white down the centre; irides yellow; bill blackish brown ; basal half of the lower mandible yellowish white, apical half yellow ; legs and feet dark greenish grey ; hinder part of the tarsi and inside of the feet yellowish grey. The figure represents the adult about half the natural size. (ey / Viale Hullinanded 4 ~ 7) 5 é 5 = w D rE 0 i ARDEA LEUCOPH AA, Gow. Australian Heron. Ardea leucophea, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soe., May 9, 1848. Durine my journey into the interior of South Australia in 1839, I saw a fine adult example of this beautiful Heron, but although I resorted to every possible stratagem in my power to get within shot of it, I regret to say I was unsuccessful; I have since, however, received a skin direct from New South Wales, which enables me to include a figure of it in the present work, and I have also seen several examples from India, whence we may infer that it extends its range from that country throughout the islands to Australia. Having carefully compared examples of this species with the Common Heron of Europe, I find it differs from that bird in being of a larger size in all its admeasurements, and that the line of the bill instead of being straight has an upward tendency; in other respects they are very similar. Forehead and upper portion of the crest white; sides of the head and lower portion of the crest deep glossy black; neck white, washed with vinous and with a series of lanceolate marks of black disposed alternately down the front; all the upper surface, wings and tail dark grey, the lanceolate feathers of the back fading into white ; edge of the wings buffy white ; primaries and secondaries dark slate-colour ; flanks and under surface of the wing grey; chest and abdomen white, separated from the grey of the flanks by a series of black feathers ; under tail-coverts and thighs white ; bill yellow; tarsi olive. The young differs in having the whole of the crown of the head black ; all the upper surface greyish brown ; and the under surface striated with brown and white. The Plate represents an old and a young bird about half the natural size. SS ee ee 7 r 4 , x Hi : d ’ ; \ am : S UC ‘ i ri Ly ’ ¥ ‘ . pe z EATS ae ee 2 f ; _ s a Ss rs f f ; yee j Os ps se 5 rn rs 5 i. > la hash Lin ee 4 ade: TE p P — a f Ss ~ ey ~ HERODIAS SYRMATOPHORUS, Gowza Australian Egret. Herodias syrmatophorus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part XIV. Tuts noble species of Egret, the largest of the group inhabiting Australia, is very generally dispersed over all parts of that continent, and is equally to be met with along the rivers and lagoons of the interior as well as in the neighbourhood of the coast. I have often seen it near the mouth of the Hunter, but it is more frequently met with on the banks of the Clarence and other rivers little frequented by civilized man. I ob- served it also in Van Diemen’s Land in the vicinity of George’s River, and the other unfrequented streams to the northward of the island. The specimen from which my drawing is taken, the acquisition of which enabled me to figure the soft parts correctly, was killed on the 2nd of January 1840, on the banks of the Mokai near Mr. Uhr’s station. It is of an extremely shy and distrustful disposition, and can only be approached within range by the exercise of the utmost care and caution. Its powers of wing are consider- able, and like other Herons it occasionally performs long-continued flights at a great height in the air; its food is also of a similar character, consisting of fish, frogs, aquatic insects, &c. When on the ground its snowy plumage presents a strong and pleasing contrast to the green sedgy and other herbage clothing the banks of the rivers. That it undergoes seasonal changes of plumage is evident, since I possess specimens, some of which are adorned with long ornamental plumes on the back, as represented in the Plate, while in others they are entirely wanting, from which I infer, that as they all appear to be old birds, they have been killed at different periods of the year, and that these ornamental plumes are only carried during the months of spring and the breeding-season. The sexes are precisely alike in external appearance, and both possess the lengthened plumes during the vernal season. The whole of the plumage pure white; irides rich straw-yellow ; naked space before and behind the eye fine greenish yellow; bill beautiful orange; legs above the knee pale dull yellow, which colour is continued down the centre of the inner part of the tarsi; remainder of the tarsi and feet black. The Plate represents a male about two-thirds of the natural size. EE = ee enn ————————— ee 4 SA Rat Ete ee wo aR enn a aw Ca MEER oe Saye eee REIS pte, Mien shade selects A thera na gnc iia a TE rion, HERODIAS PLUMIFERUS, Gow Plumed Egret. Herodias plumiferus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., November 23, 1847. No one of the members of the beautiful genus Herodias is more interesting than the present species, inas- much as it is not only adorned with the redundance of graceful plumes springing from the back, common to the other species, but it has a mass of feathers of precisely the same structure depending from the lower part of the neck and the chest. In size it is directly intermediate between 7. syrmatophorus and H. imma- culata. 1 possess a specimen from the Namoi, in the southern part of Australia, and another from the north coast; and Ihave also a third from Torres Straits, which proves that its range is very extensive ; the latter example is destitute of the lengthened plumes, which are probably only assumed during the breeding-season. The entire plumage is pure white; bill and orbits yellow ; feet and lower part of the tarsi black; upper part of the tarsi inclining to flesh-colour. The figure is somewhat under the natural size. — a ee Se OPT) YT pur pynos ‘7 a a ok Nd a hc a Re HERODIAS IM MACULATA, Gould. Spotless EKeret. Herodvas immaculata, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., 1846. Yab-be-ruk, Aborigines of Port Essington. White Crane of the Colonists. Tuts Spotless Egret, which is a beautiful representative of the Herodias Garzetta of Europe, is a native of the northern portion of Australia, and is extremely abundant in almost all parts of the Cobourg Peninsula, both on the open sea-beach and in the secluded parts of the harbour; it also occurs in all the neighbouring swamps and lakes. ‘On one occasion,” says Mr. Gilbert, ‘while lying at anchor in Van Diemen’s Gulf, about half a mile from an isolated rock, covered with a stunted plant growing from the crevices, I saw these birds repairing thither for the purpose of roosting in such numbers, that in a very short time the dark-coloured rock assumed an appearance of snowy whiteness, resembling in the distance, and particu- larly by moonlight, a pile of snow; at the same time I observed them in different parts of the harbour congregated in flocks, and when seen perched upon the branches overhanging the water, they greatly resembled a flock of Cockatoos ; but although they are met with in such numbers it is by no means easy to procure specimens, for a more shy and wary bird is scarcely to be found. ‘The stomach is membranous and the food consists of fish.” The sexes are precisely alike in plumage, and both are adorned with the long flowing plumes, which are thrown off in the winter season. The entire plumage of a pure and snowy whiteness ; irides yellow; upper mandible, half the lower man- dible and apical dark purplish black ; base of the latter dull yellowish grey; cere and orbits saftron-yellow ; legs blackish grey ; inner side and back of the tarsi, and the under surface of the feet siskin-green. The Plate represents male and female in breeding plumage of the size of life. ee ee Pe CAE ST re Bi HERODIAS PANNOSUS. Sombre Kegret. Herodias pannosus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., November 1847. Tue only example of this species that has come under my observation is the fine adult specimen which graces my collection, and which I received from the neighbourhood of Port Stephens in 1843. Unfor- tunately [ am not able to give any information respecting it, as no note of any kind accompanied the specimen. Its dark colouring and very slender and elegant form distinguish it from every other species of the group to which it belongs. The entire plumage is bluish or slaty black with the exception of the chin, which is pure white. The figure is rather less than the natural size. mares ro PA TT AyD OS HERODIAS JUGULARIS. Blue Reef Heron. Ardea jugularis, Forst. Icon. Ined., t. 114. cerulea, var. Lath. Matook, Vieill. Herodias jugularis, List of Birds in Brit. Mus. Coll., Blue Crane, Colonists of Port Essington. part ili. p. 80. Tue Blue Reef Heron is universally distributed over the whole of the coasts of the great continent of Australia, and is also found in New Zealand: the sea-coast is evident] this bird to inhabit ; it especially loves to dwell on shores of takes short flights to seaward, and returns again to y the place destined by nature for a rocky nature; and when disturbed merely some prominent point, whence it can survey all around and feel itself in security. Its food appears to consist of crabs and shelled mollusks ; those dissected were very muscular, and contained the remains of both tho the stomachs of se kinds of animals; hence the necessity for the powerful bill and peculiar structure of feet with which this bird is provided. “This species of Herodias,” says Mr. McGillivray, “inhabits the islands of the north-east coast of Australia and Torres’ Straits, and is abundantly distributed from the Capricorn group in lat. 23°30! S., as far north as Darnley Island in lat. 9° 35'S. It procures its food at low water on the coral reefs sur- rounding the low wooded islands it loves to frequent ; although generally a wary bird even when little disturbed by man, yet on one occasion on Heron Island I knocked down several with a stick. The nest is usually placed on a tree, but on those islands where there are none, such as Raine’s Islet and elsewhere, it breeds among the recesses of the rocks; where the trees are tall, as on Oomaga or Keat’s Island, the nests are placed near the summit; on Dugong Island they were placed on the root of a tree, on a low stump, or half-way up a low bushy tree; they are shallow in form, eighteen inches in diameter, and con- structed of small sticks and lined with twigs; the eggs are two in number, and of a pale bluish white, one inch and seven-eighths long by one inch and a quarter broad.” Mr. Strange says, “I procured specimens about ten miles north of Sydney Heads ; it appears to be strictly confined to the rocky cliffs and ledges of rocks, where it takes great delight in allowing the spray to beat over it. It is very shy and wary, and never stops long in one place.” In his notes from Port Essington, Mr, Gilbert states that “ it is abundant on all the small islands and rocks immediately adjacent to the main-land. It is gregarious in its habits the whole year round, for I remarked that it was congregated in as large numbers before as after the breeding- season, which is the month of August. The nest is built of sticks on the ground, and is penicedly round and from twelve to eighteen inches in height, with a considerable depression for the reception of the eggs ; they are always placed in thickets or underwood, and as near oe outer edge of the rock as possible. On one small rock I found at least fifty of these nests, some of which were so close as nearly to touch each other. The eggs were sometimes two, and at others three in number.” The sexes are so similar that dissection must be resorted to to determine the one from the other. It will be observed that these statements are contradictory in some particulars, wbreh may perhaps be accounted for by the habits of the bird being modified by circumstances, or the peculiar nature of the situations in which they happened to be observed. — ae Down the centre of the chin a line of buff in some, white in others ; the whole of the remainder of the plumage dark slaty black, with a wash of grey on the lengthened eee - ot en pendent from the chest ; bill pale dirty yellowish green ; lores dull oil-green ; tarsi ¢ ge pi apple green ; soles of the feet dirty yellow. oe ee The figures represent a male and a female about three-fourths of the natural size. See oe ee TTVATABIV TUPLE A VIVAL TTT a = Ai Ry Fowl GU UATE Y & PPeruqey cS SWE \ ce ' ae HERODIAS GREYI, Gray. White Reef Heron. Herodias Greyi, List of Birds in Brit. Mus. Coll., part iii. p- 80. Tus species of Heron is abundantly dispersed over the whole of the northern and eastern coasts of Australia wherever low islands and reefs of coral running parallel to those coasts are found to exist. It presents so many points of similarity in size and in form to the H. jugularis, that I have long been of opinion that it is merely an albino variety of that species, an opinion which I find has been entertained by others as well as myself; and although Mr. McGillivray states that they are distinct, I have a latent suspicion that such is not the case. The bird did not come under my own observation, but was often seen by Mr. McGillivray while on the surveying voyage of H.MLS. Fly, and to him I am indebted for the following observations :— “From the circumstance of my having always found this and the dark-coloured species” (HZ. jugularis) ‘in company, I considered them as the same bird in different states of plumage, their size and proportions being so similar, and was surprised that individuals exhibiting a change from blue to white or vice versd never occurred. At length, while on Dugong Island, I was convinced they were specifically distinct by seeing that the half-grown young from the nest had assumed the distinctive colour of the parents. This was first pointed out to me by Dr. Muirhead, R.N., whose attention I had previously drawn to the subject. The habits of both species are similar ; and they procure their food in the same manner at low water on the coral reefs surrounding the low islands they frequent. The nest and eggs are precisely similar, but the young of this bird is white from the nest.” The entire plumage snow-white; bill yellowish straw-colour, with a dusky tinge on the culmen and towards the point ; irides primrose-yellow ; eyelids bright yellow; lores and orbits dull greenish ; legs and feet yellowish green ; soles orange; claws pale horn-colour ; hind one dark; anterior plates of the toes bluish black. The figure is about three-fourths of the natural size. pe Wal ee ie Aitf Woy |p ov pepe ay] VOL) : h sa) ; ' \ ; TY? LAMY 6 SVIGOUANT YD D? AP OP PUL) H Pw pypnea’] ey \ HERODIAS PICATA, Gou. Pied Kgret. Ardea (Herodias) picata, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part XIII. p. 62. Oo-le-buk-o, Aborigines of Port Essington. Examp.es of this species, not the least beautiful member of the tribe to which it belongs, have been sent to me by Mr. Gilbert and by Lieut. Ince; they were all procured in the neighbourhood of Port Essington, where Mr. Gilbert states that it inhabits the inland swamps, and is usually encountered in small families often in company with other species, but is not so abundant in the vicinity of the harbour as on the islands at the head of Van Diemen’s Gulf, where it appeared to be very numerous. The stomachs of those dissected were found to be capacious and membranous, and the food to consist of fish, aquatic insects and their larve. I regret to say that nothing more is at present known respecting it. Upper part of the head, occiput, occipital plumes, the whole of the plumage of the body, wings and tail bluish slaty black ; chin, neck, chest, and some of the lanceolate feathers dependent therefrom, white ; some few of the lanceolate feathers on the neck and breast have one web white and the other web bluish slaty black ; the remainder of these lanceolate feathers are the same colour as the body; irides yellow ; bill, legs and feet greenish yellow. The young birds differ in having the whole of the under surface white. The figures are about the natural size. Pe By WAS ORs ee << Saeed Ae! a (cil. S Aa * Cove eae tt aad ee ee a ony a ee ad sahil > yeh ate eo Ie cmt See ede mat"). 2 pe | oe) . : —_ re e 7 , = Sy =e 7 . Ao A om Y.V.S ~ ayo es 7 wae c. ax Pa , A RA Oe rh ~ Dt! ee Ns % S ae S ~ a aA as ’ se. ae - Ar RAD \ RN oe a ODE NE Se DN a gat OS I a Se ae ar ON 5 NN ee oN . NV} SNA. SSN ees SN VS 2) SEV | | om 15 Ez 2 D € -) J. A pe ee ER ERS Ro) Ww» Mayo. W OM Y- MEY? + V CANS VY: Aye - , NU ~ NY CTICORAX CALEDONICUS. Nankeen Night Heron. Ardea Caledonica, Lath. Ind. Orme yole 1p, Caledonian Night Heron, Lath. Gen. Syn. WOleixe ps 09, Nycticorax Caledonicus, Less. Traité ceOnne oe ove Ardea Sparmannii, Wag). Syst. Av., sp. 32. New Holland ‘Night Heron, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. ix. p. 62. young. Gnal-gan-ning, Aborigines of the lowland districts of Western Aten ie Quaker and Nankeen-bird of the Colonists. Al-or-woon, Aborigines of Port Essington. 679.—Gmel. Edit. Linn. Syst. Nat., vol. i. p. 626. , Vol. v. p. 55.—Cook’s Voy., vol. ii. p. 111. pl. 50.—Lath. Gen. Hist., ——— A Tus beautiful species is universally dispersed over the continent of Austr the western than on the eastern coast. In the southern latitudes it is only alia, but is far less abundant on a summer visitant, arriving in New South Wales and South Australia in August and September, and retiring again in February. As its name implies, it is nocturnal in its habits, and from its frequenting swamps, inlets of the sea, the sedgy banks of rivers, and other secluded situations, it is seldom seen. On the approach of morning it retires to the forests and perches among the branches of large trees, where, shrouded from the heat of the sun, it sleeps the whole day, and when once discovered is easily procured, as it seldom moves unless shot at or driven from its perch by some other means, and when forced to quit its perch it merely flies a short distance and again alights. Its flight is slow and flapping, and during its passage through the air the head is drawn back between the shoulders and the legs are stretched out backwards after the manner of the true Herons. When perched on the trees or resting on the ground, it exhibits none of the grace and elegance of those birds, its short neck resting on the shoulders, as shown in the smaller figure on the accompanying Plate. When impelled by hunger to search for a supply of food it naturally becomes more animated, and its actions more lively and prying ; the varied nature of its food in fact demands some degree of activity—fishes, water- lizards, crabs, frogs, leeches and insects, being all partaken of with equal avidity. It breeds in the months of November and December, and generally in companies like the true Herons ; the favourite localities being the neighbourhood of swampy districts, where an abundant supply of food is to be procured; the branches of large trees, points of shelving rocks and caverns, are equally chosen as a site for the nest, which is rather large and flat, and generally composed of crooked sticks loosely inter- woven. The eggs, which are usually three in number, are of a pale green colour, and average two inches and five-eighths in length by one inch and a half in breadth. So little difference exists in the colouring of the sexes, that it is extremely difficult to distinguish the male from the female, and never with certainty unless dissection be resorted to; both have the three beau- tiful elongated occipital plumes, the use of which except for ornament is not easily magimcd The young, on the contrary, differ so greatly from the adult, that they might readily be regarded as a distinct species. The following is a faithful description of a mature bird and a young one of the first year :— The adult has the crown of the head and the nape black ; occipital plumes white; back of the neck, all the upper surface, wings and tail rich cinnamon-brown ; stripe over ee sides oF the face, ae the under surface pure white, the white and cinnamon gradually ee on the sides of es Mes 5 ge space surrounding the eye greenish yellow ; irides orange; bill in some specimens eee ae tipped with yellow, in others black with a streak of greenish yellow along ie lower mandible, - a wash of the same hue along the lower edge of the upper one; legs and feet eae ae sa ee The young bird has the whole of the upper surface striated wit bu a ie ee ae 1 ts : feathan lanceolate on the head and neck, broad and conspicuous on the back and. wings ; primaries and tail-feathers dark chestnut-red, deepening into black near the extremity and biped oS face buffy white, with a stripe of brown down the centre of seen feather ; iri The figures represent the old and young nearly the size of life. buffy white; all the under sur- les yellow. a BOTAURUS AUSTRALIS, Gowa Australian Bittern. Botaurus Austrahs, Cuv. Gal. de Paris ?—Less. Traité d’Orn., Ds omer Bui-den-etch, Aborigines of the lowlands of Western Australia. Tue Australian Bittern, although nowhere very abundant, is so generally diffused over the surface of the country wherever marshes and the sedgy banks of rivers occur, that there are few localities of this description in which its presence may not be detected: owing to the frequent occurrence of such districts in Van Diemen’s Land, it is perhaps more numerous in that island than elsewhere. A fine specimen, which had been captured on the Torrens, was sent to me during my stay in Adelaide by Mr. Dark, the Surveyor ; I killed another myself on the Ist of July 1839, above Gleeson’s Station, while journeying towards the Murray, and I subsequently procured others at Illawarra and in Van Diemen’s Land: Captain Sturt mentions that he found it abundant in the marshes of the interior, in the neighbourhood of the river Mac- quarrie, and Mr. Gilbert procured it in Western Australia. In its actions, habits, manners and mode of flight it so closely resembles the Botaurus stellaris of Europe, as to render a description of them entirely unnecessary 5 like that bird also it feeds on fish, frogs, newts, aquatic animals of all kinds, and insects, and has a capacious and membranous stomach. The sexes are alike in plumage, but the female is smaller than the male. Head and back of the neck purplish brown ; back and scapularies dark purplish brown ; wings buff, con- ear-coverts tawny; throat and all the under surface deep giving the whole a mottled appearance ; llowish olive in some, greenish spicuously and largely freckled with brown ; tawny buff, with irregular markings of deep brown down the centre, the brown colour however prevails on the lower part of the throat; bill ye horn-colour in others ; space round the eyes and the legs beautiful pale green ; irides in some yellow, lilac- red in others. The figures are about two-thirds of the natural size. INAS er a) 2 v4 t; rcp ae SAPNA PAM a? Ey , WAN AL VA Ty f Sty ter ee > ha rae or roel v% a0 PPA B) [Vh}) ‘ SI 422) 1? 7) y 2 ITY DH P yo. 8 (! re C7 cs ON - ARDETTA? FLAVICOLLIS. Yellow-necked Bittern. Ardea flavicollis, Lath. Ind. Orn., vol. ii. p. 701.—Wagl. Syst. Nat., Ardea, sp. 16. Ardea nigra, Vieill. 2nd Edit. du Nouy. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., tom. xiv. p. 417.—Ib. Ency. Méth. Orn., Part iii. p. 1118, Yellow-necked Heron, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., p. 239.—Ib. Gen. Hist., vol. ix. p. 134. 7 Ardetia flavicolhs, List of Birds in Brit. Mus. Coll., Part iii. p. 84. Wor-gorl, Aborigines of Port Essington. Little Brown Bittern of the Colonists. I wave received this beautiful species from New South Wales, Swan River and Port Essington ; it was also obtained by Governor Grey on the north-west coast. Both Latham and Wagler assert that it inhabits Java and that it extends its range to the continent of India, and although I do not question the truth of this assertion, | must state that the specimens I have seen from those countries are smaller in all their admea- surements than those from Australia; much difference however occurs in the size and colouring of the sexes, and it may be that the few individuals which have come under my notice from India and Java were females. The Yellow-necked Bittern is exclusively an inhabitant of the mangroves, from which it is not easily driven, but it readily eludes pursuit by the facility with which it runs over the mud beneath the roots of the mangroves, which it will do for a long time and distance, and it must be very closely followed up before it can be forced to take wing. Eggs were taken on the 6th of January, in a nest formed of small sticks resting on a slender hori- zontal branch of a mangrove ; they were two in number, very much paler bluish green and more rounded in form than those of any other species of the group, being one inch and a half long by one inch and an eighth broad. The male has the crown of the head, back of the neck and all the upper surface bronzy black ; primaries and tail bluish slate-colour; chin whitish; throat deep buff, the feathers down the centre of the chin and throat having their inner webs pale buff and their tips blackish brown, giving the whole a richly variegated appearance ; elongated feathers of the breast pale brown, narrowly margined with buff; under surface greyish brown, stained with buff; irides yellow ; bill dark horn-colour ; feet olive-brown. The female differs in having the colours of the throat less brilliant and contrasted, and the upper surface of a lighter brown than that of the male. The Plate represents the two sexes rather less than the natural size. FE, Swern ARDETTA MACRORHYNCHA, Gould. Thick-billed Green Bittern. Ardetta macrorhyncha, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., February 22, 1848. Tue more robust bill, larger head and greater size of this species will at all times distinguish it from Ardetta stagnatihs and A. Javanica. The only part of Australia from which it has yet been received is the east coast. I myself observed two individuals sitting close to their flat nest on the branch of a mangrove growing on Garden Island near the mouth of the Hunter. It inhabits the mangrove swamps, and assumes all the habits and actions of the 4. stagnatilis, and like that species feeds upon the crabs and other crustaceans which there abound. Crown of the head and occipital crest black, with green reflexions ; neck, all the upper surface and wing- coverts greenish olive; wing-coverts narrowly margined with deep rufous; primaries and tail slate-grey ; spurious wing, secondaries, and all but the three or four external primaries with an irregular triangular- shaped spot at the tip; down the centre of the throat a series of oblong marks of dark brown and white, forming a conspicuous mottled stripe continued on to the breast, where it is lost in the mingled grey and buffy brown of the abdomen ; upper mandible dark reddish brown ; basal portion of the lower one oil-green ; tibize and hinder part of the tarsi bright yellow; remainder of the legs and feet yellowish brown. The Plate represents the two sexes of the size of life. INA BON . aN 2 7S ) yn) 19 pp pi OS J 5) I, D te es r : t > Lf 9 eS J v\! 7 é = ey 0) t : t 7 | oP AY, | a? rt yi Ov. O c i »* Ls d : ; yf @ ed a Ae ) , ! . | a ~ J. er. Eo a | ; a ) “ é va he 4 : 4 |i ve — } a a f Pah Py wv Oo LOSE) oie Ce ~—e Pe ay: Wow ARDETTA STAGNATI LI Ss, Gould. Little Grey Bittern. Ardetta stagnatihs, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., November 1847. Wor-gorl, Aborigines of Port Essington. Little Grey Bittern, of the Colonists. Tuis bird is tolerably abundant at Port Essington and other parts of the north coast of Australia, where its favourite haunts are small islets covered with mangroves and low swampy points of land running out into the sea ; its chief place of resort, however, is the dense beds of mangroves, beneath the shade of which it runs about in search of food, of which there is a great variety, such as fish, crustaceans, and numerous marine worms and insects: when the tide rises and the muddy beds and roots of the mangroves are covered with water, the bird betakes itself to the higher branches, where it sits motionless until the tide retires and leaves behind a fresh supply of food. Although generally speaking it is a solitary species, yet at times it congregates in considerable numbers. Mr. Gilbert found a colony breeding on two small islets in Coral Bay, near the entrance of the harbour of Port Essington. Their nests, about thirty in number, were built both on the mangroves and on the branches of the yellow-blossomed Hibiscus; they were very frail structures, consisting of a few small twigs placed across each other on the horizontal branches, and none of them were more than six feet from the ground ; each contained either two young birds, or two eggs of a uniform very pale green, one inch and five-eighths long by one inch and a quarter broad. Crown of the head, occipital crest and a small tuft beneath each eye black ; neck and all the under sur- face grey, with a vinous tinge, which becomes much deeper on the abdomen and under tail-coverts ; lengthened feathers of the back bluish grey with lighter shafts ; wing-coverts dark slate-grey, narrowly mar- gined with buff and white ; remainder of the wings and tail dark grey; irides light yellow ; orbits and eye- lash gamboge-yellow ; upper mandible and cutting edge of the lower mandible very dark reddish brown ; remainder of the lower mandible oil-green ; tibia and hinder part of the tarsi bright yellow ; remainder of the legs and feet yellowish brown. The young differ in having all the upper the wing-feathers, and the throat broadly and conspicuously stri The figures represent a male and a female of the natural size. surface brown, with a triangular spot of white at the tip of all ated with brown on a white ground. "ea ha eek . ) © sti es : 4 a pahienwiaiaalie ee ~ tee emer een mene oe LS c . ARDETTA PUSILLA. Minute Bittern. Ardea pusilla, Vieill. Nouv. Dict. d’ Hist. Nat., tom. xiv. p. 432.—Ib. Ency. Métl 1. Orn., part iii. p. 1128.—Waol. Syst. Av. Ardea, sp. 44. 5 maculata, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. lxiv.—Vieill. Nouv. Dict. d’ Hist. Nat., Orn., part iii. p. 1128, young? | Spotted Heron, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 305.—Ib. Gen. Hist., tom. xiv. p. 432.—Ib. Ency. Méth. vol. ix. p. 73, young ? Specimens of the Minute Bittern are contained in my own collection, and in that of the Linnean Society of London; it is however a very rare species, and at present nothing whatever is known respecting it. During my sojourn in the country I ascertained that the few individuals known had been procured between Sydney and Botany Bay. I have frequently had occasion to allude to the beautiful manner in which many birds peculiar to Europe are represented in Australia by other closely allied species, and the present bird forms another case in point, since it is clearly a representative of the Little Bittern (4rdetta minuta) of this part of the world, which it much resembles in the style of its plumage, but is of a still smaller size. This is another of the species, therefore, to which I would direct the attention of residents in its native country, with a view to their making known the result of their observations for the promotion of ornithological science. The sexes, as is the case with the 4drdetia minuta of Europe, differ considerably from each other, the female being mottled and of a smaller size than her mate. The male has the crown of the head, back and tail bronzy greenish black ; front of the neck buff, gra- dually passing into rich deep chestnut on the sides of the head and back of the neck ; down the centre of the chin and neck in front a broad irregular stripe of reddish brown ; on either side of the chest a patch of black feathers margined with deep buff; all the under surface pale buff; wing-coverts deep buff, with a patch of rich chestnut on the shoulder and awash of the same colour along the edge of the wing ; primaries slaty black ; space round the eye, bill and feet yellow ; culmen nearly black ; irides orange. The female has the head and back chestnut ; wing-coverts very deep tawny, passing into chestnut on the tips of the coverts and secondaries ; primaries grey, tipped with Beas tail black ; sides os neck pale chestnut ; front of the throat and the under surface white, with a stripe of tawny com the middle, and a small streak of brown in the centre of each feather, the brown hue predominating and forming a conspicuous mark down the throat. The Plate represents the two sexes of the size of life. Sc. tee ees ee BiG PORPHYRIO MELANOTUS, Temm. Black-backed Porphyrio. Porphyrio melanotus, Temm. Man. d’Orn., 2nd Edit., tom. ii. p. 701.—Less. Traité d’Orn Zool., vol. xii. p. 259. 2 Black-backed Gallinule, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. ix. pe 427, Ar-ra-weid-bit, Aborigines of Port Essington. p- 5383.—Shaw, Gen. Tus bird is universally distributed over Van Diemen’s Land and the greater part of the continent of Australia wherever situations suitable to its habits occur, such as marshes, lagoons clothed with sedge and rushes, and the sides of rivers. On comparing specimens from Van Diemen’s Land, South Australia and Port Essington, I find them to differ in size; those from the first- and last-mentioned localities being smaller than examples procured in South Australia and New South Wales: Mr. Gilbert’s notes also indicate a difference in the habits of the Port Essington bird, but I am inclined to believe this to be merely the result of a difference in the nature of the locality and the kind of vegetation. In Van Diemen’s Land the Porphyrio melanotus is very abundant on the banks of the Derwent above Bridge- water, and on the Tamar for ten miles below Launceston ; I also found it on the lagoons between Kangaroo Point and Clarence Plains, and in every part of the island wherever favourable localities occur. Karly in the morning, and on the approach of evening, it sallies forth over the land in search of food, which con- sists of snails, insects, grain and various vegetable substances ; it runs with great facility, and readily avails itself of this power on the approach of an intruder, making for the thickest covert and threading it with amazing quickness, much after the manner of the Moorhen (@aliinula chloropus) of Europe ; its flight is also very similar to that of the Moorhen, and like that bird it resorts to this mode of progression only when hard-pressed. In New South Wales it inhabits precisely the same kind of situations as those described above, and is to be found in the lagoons at Illawarra and wherever the vegetation affords it a sufficient shelter. It soon becomes domesticated, and may be allowed to roam at large in the garden or inclosure without fear of its wandering away ; I saw two belonging to the Hon. Henry Elliott, Aide-de-Camp to His Excellency Captain Sir John Franklin, R.N., the Governor, in the Government Garden at Hobart Town ; and my friend George Bennett, Esq., of Sydney, informs me that one he ae seen fone in a poultry- yard was in the habit of roosting upon the roofs of sheds, and was very fond of perching on some parrot- cages; he mentions also that the bird invariably seizes maize, or any vegetable it intends eating, in the palm of the foot, holding it in that manner until it be devoured ; after watching it for some time he never saw it take food in any other manner, and the owner assured him that it never did. ee Mr. Gilbert found this bird tolerably abundant at Port Essington, on a salt-water lake near Point Smith, in which some thick clumps of mangroves were growing ; sO tar as his ae sae os ie only part of the Peninsula in which it was to be found, and indeed, Ls ae a ae : | ; i known to the residents, who believed they had explored every part of the Peninsula adjacent to the shores 1 itself : ‘roves, and to perch on their He remarked that it appeared to confine itself to the mangroves, ¢ I "ne d above the tops of the trees and flew off for several topmost branches, and that when disturbed it mounte hundred yards. . a . or ¢ > 12 The pe do not differ in colouring, but the female ts somewhat smaller than ber mate, and the young re o bright as in the adult. < wn less developed and not s g ce ee Bee 1 thiehs sooty black ; back of the neck, breast and Cheeks. back of the head, centre of the abdomen anc thighs sooty b : : . . indi ack, wings é al »p shining bl flanks rich deep indigo-blue; back, wings and tail dee] g ack, the primaries with a wash of indigo- 1 irides brig -ange-red ; frontal plate, bill, legs blue on their outer webs ; under tail-coverts pure white; irides bright orange red ; al plate, bill, leg d and feet red. The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size. ic dup wouny yy pyrewugy 4 C7 (ZN) . der pheh Gelecy OR PORPHYRIO BELLUS, Gould. Azure-breasted Porphyrio. Porphyrio bellus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VIII. pe Wihoe Swamp-Hen, Colonists of Western Australia. Gool-le-ma, Aborigines of the lowland districts of ditto. Tuts fine species of Porphyrio is a native of Western Australia, to which portion of the continent it would appear to be restricted; I did not observe it during my rambles in South Australia, nor has it yet been seen on the north coast. Of the two species found in Australia the present is by far the finest, exceeding the Porphyrio melanotus not only in size, but in the greater diversity and richness of its colouring, particu- larly in the azure-blue of the throat and chest, a character by which it is readily distinguished. The Azure-breasted Porphyrio is abundant at Swan River, inhabiting the thick reed-beds and swampy districts of the lakes and rivers round Perth and Fremantle. Its habits and economy so nearly resemble those of the Porphyrio, so familiarly known in Van Diemen’s Land and New South Wales, that a description of one equally applies to the other, and therefore need not be repeated here. The only difference observable between the sexes is, that the male is rather brighter in colour and some- what larger in size. The gizzard is strong and muscular, and the food consists of vegetable substances, aquatic insects, and mollusca. Occiput and crown of the head blackish brown, gradually passing into the light violet-purple which spreads over the nape, flanks and abdomen ; throat, cheeks, fore-part of the neck and breast light azure- blue ; all the upper surface from the nape downwards, including the tail, deep chocolate-brown 5 shoulders and spurious wing azure-blue ; primaries blackish brown, their outer wel strongly tinged with green ; irides bright red; bill red; knees, lower part of the tarsi, and inside of the feet dark greenish grey ; remainder of the legs and feet grass-green. The figure is of the natural size. me Ny Aj J thn Ee eet jones TRIBONYX MORTIERL, Du Bus. Mortier’s Tribonyx. Tribonyx Mortieru, Du Bus. Bull. Acad. Sci. Brux., tom. vii. p. 215. pl.—G. R. Gray, List of Gen. of Birds 2nd Edit. p. 92.—List of Birds in Brit. Mus. Coll., Part III. p. 122. | | f Brachyptrallus ralloides, Lafres. ? Native Hen, of the Colonists. Tus bird is rather abundantly dispersed over Van Diemen’s Land, but from the extreme shyness of its disposition, and the low swampy and almost inaccessible nature of the situations it frequents, it is seldom ; . 4 . e ry Pe . — seen by ordinary observers. The localities it affects are marsh lands and the sedgy banks of rivers and ponds. It was daily seen by me during my stay on the Government demesne at New Norfolk, where it frequently lett its sedgy retreats and walked about the paths and other parts of the garden, with tail erect like the Common Hen; even here, however, the greatest circumspection and quietude were necessary to obtain a sight of it, for the slightest noise or movement excited its suspicions, and in an instant it vanished in the most extraordinary manner into some thicket, from which it did not again emerge until all apparent cause for alarm was past. The sternum and pectoral muscles of this bird are but feebly developed in proportion to its bulk, and it consequently rarely resorts to flight ; on the other hand, the legs and thighs are extremely large, and hence its power of running is very great, and upon this power it mainly depends for security from molestation. Its habits and general manners are very similar to those of the Moorhen (@allinula chloropus) of Europe, but it does not dive or swim so much as that bird. It is very easily captured with a common horsehair noose, by which means some of my specimens were procured. The male is about three pounds in weight ; and the stomachs of those I examined were extremely thick and muscular, and contained aquatic plants and insects, gravel, &c. The nest, which is very similar to that of the Moorhen, is formed of a bundle of rushes placed on the border of the stream; the eggs, which are also similar to those of the Moorhen, are seven in number, two inches and an eighth long, one inch and a half broad, and of a stone colour marked all over with thinly dispersed, irregularly shaped, and variously sized spots and blotches of dark chestnut-brown. The sexes are alike in appearance, but the female is somewhat smaller and less brilliant in colour than the male. All the upper surface greyish olive, w the tips of the secondaries ; primaries blackish passing into black on the abdomen and under tail-coverts flank-feathers l yup a conspicuous mark on each side ; thighs purplish grey; irides orange-red ; bill gre ashed with chestnut-brown on the head, back of the neck, back, and brown ; tail deep black ; under surface bluish slate-colour, argely tipped with white, forming enish yellow ; legs and feet leaden yellow. The figures are of the natural size. WALI SE te — Ae i o. we 7145-9 Ahuyp WONVAL S PVM sg] Wf =| | H ‘| li Na ( } ly Y K N ( ‘ IIa, Rice DARPA Rs Lass naka * ll a ‘- meee” et STS pone spec > out a : oy a id iS) wc ™~ Qu Won A i aT Gr Ao > TRIBONYX VENTRALI Ss, Gould. Black-tailed Tribonyx. Gallinula ventralis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., P Tribonyx ventralis, Gould in App. to Grey’s Tr Hea ep. 129) Bel-gar-bé-jal, Aborigines of the lowland, and Nol-yang, Aborigines of the mountain districts of Weste Moor-hen of the Colonists. art LY. p. 85. av. in Australia, vol. ii. p. 420.—List of Birds in Brit. Mus. Coll. ’ m Australia. SINCE my attention has been directed to the ornithology of Australia, part of the ay southward of the 25th degree of south latitude part of Van Diemen’s Land, that country being in all probability I have received this species from every , but I have not yet seen it from any A too cold and ungenial for its habits. o ° » * . otees ya) ee Seeks ‘ ° though in outward contour and general appearance this bird bears a great resemblance to the Gallinules wy Water-hens, it wi is SS ery differ i i or W ens, t will be found on comparison to possess a very different structure, particularly in the form of the tarsi and toes, and of the tail, and in its economy it differs from them quite as much as it does in form. Its migratory movements are very uncertain, great numbers occasionally visiting parts of the country where it had seldom before been seen, and retiring again to some distant unknown locality as . ‘ . Vi , : Q . ° suddenly as it appeared. We are naturally led to inquire whence they came, and anxiously to desire a wore intimate knowledge of that great terra incognita the interior of the country, by which means alone can the mystery be solved. John Hutt, Esq., Governor of Western Australia, informs me that in the neighbourhood of Perth the Tribonye ventralis ** makes its appearance suddenly in large flocks at a time,” and asks, “Is this not a proot of there being an oasis of good land in the interior ? This bird invaded the settlers’ fields and gardens in the month of May 1833 in amazing numbers ; it had not been seen before, and has hardly been seen since.” Mr. Gilbert states, ‘that upon this occasion it visited the Swan River colony in myriads, treading down and destroying whole fields of corn in a single night. The natives not having seen them before attributed their appearance to the settlers, and for a long time termed them the ‘ White-men’s birds’ : after the harvest was over they nearly all disappeared as suddenly as they arrived. The natives of the banks of the Upper Swan, on making inqniries respecting these birds of some of the tribes of the interior, were told they came from the north.” I frequently met with the bird myself during my journey into the interior of New South Wales; it was tolerably abundant on the banks of the Mokai in the month of December 1839, but not in such numbers as particularly to attract my attention. When I first saw it I was much struck with its grotesque appearance, as it strutted along the bank of the river with its tail quite erect like that of a domestic fowl. Although the herbage on the river-sides was very scanty, and the plains were so parched that scarcely a blade of grass was to be seen, it readily eluded pursuit by its amazing powers of running, and secreting itself beneath the roots of the large trees or the shelving of the bank. I never saw it take wing, and I believe that it rarely resorts to flight for security. . It breeds in November ; the nest, which is formed of dead soft grasses and rushes, being placed on the ground among the long grass-like rushes of the ee The eggs are seven in number, of a cream- colour, thinly sprinkled with irregularly-shaped spots of chestnut-red, the surface of the shell; they are an inch and a half long by one inch and an eighth broad. thick and muscular ; and the food consists of grain, seeds, and other vegetable some of which appear as if beneath The stomach is extremely substances, shelled mollusks, insects, &c. Throat, breast and under surface dark bluish grey ; part of the abdomen and under tail-coverts black ; the outer one margined externally with white ; | becoming rather paler at the tip; base of the lower mandible flank-feathers black, with an oblong mark of white : ae all the upper surface near their extremities ; lower PI brownish olive ; primaries brown, orange ; upper mandible beautiful pea-green, light reddish orange, the tip like that of the upper ; The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size. tail black ; irides fine legs and feet deep brick-red. wee ri AF ‘acd ae \ S2 —— i. i el CaS leer ie {Ole atc ° MOM ASN C) 7 i) GALLINULA TENEBROSA, Gow. Sombre Gallinule. Gallinula tenebrosa, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Feb. 24, 1846. Tus species of Gallinule inhabits the sedgy banks of rivers, creeks and water-holes. I frequently en- countered it in New South Wales, particularly in the neighbourhood of the Upper Hunter ; and I also possess specimens collected on the banks of the Murray in South Australia. The total absence of any white marks on the flanks forms a good specific character, and at once distinguishes this Gallinule from most of the other members of the genus. In size it considerably exceeds the Gallinula chloropus of Europe; and that gartered above the knee is still more brilliant, coloured with red and yellow. Both on the open muddy banks and among the tangled herbage of the water’s edge, it readily eludes pursuit by running with great swiftness into a place of safety. It swims with considerable ease and buoyancy, and while gliding over the quiet sur- face of the water, seeks its food, which consists of various aquatic insects and small-shelled mollusks, among the floating herbage. On comparing the sexes, I find, that, like the Kuropean species, they differ in size, and that although the female is smaller than her mate, the colours of her bill are often brighter than in the male. So completely do the habits and economy of this species resemble those of the other members of the genus, that a repetition of what has been so frequently described is quite unnecessary. | The whole of the plumage greyish black, with the exception of the back and scapularies, which are deep brown, and the primaries and tail, which are nearly a pure black ; under tail-coverts black in the centre and white on the sides; frontal plate orange; base of the bill blood-red, tip greenish yellow ; above the knee a garter of yellow and scarlet; joints of the legs and feet green ; under surface of the legs and feet olive; sides of the tarsi and frontal plates of the toes yellow; frontal plates of the tarsi yellow, those nearest the knee stained with scarlet ; irides olive. | The figure in the accompanying Plate is a trifle smaller than the natural size, and was taken from a female. ——— ——— ~ i Las, PO al i i i ' ‘ a ' easyer Sites ~~ eo ‘ mcmieikenrgre > ‘, : Bhiemetete ' Sa eaerenenen Ree een ies 3 NN ee > & oe See FULICA AUSTRALIS, Gow. Australian Coot. Fulica Australis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part XIII. Dee Mool-ya-win-doo (Ugly Nose), and Gid-jee-broon, of the Aborigines of the lowland districts of Western Australia. Tuar a true Coot should be found to inhabit Australia need not be a matter of surprise, when we have seen how many of the forms hitherto considered to be peculiar to the northern hemisphere are repre- sented in that country; and in no instance is this law more interestingly carried out than in the present, since the two birds are not only identical in form, but are so precisely alike in their habits and general economy, that the admirable accounts of Messrs. Selby, Yarrell, &c., of those of the European bird are equally descriptive of those of the Australian. Its favourite places of resort are the inland waters of the country, which it seldom quits unless to seek for a more abundant supply of food, consisting of aquatic insects, small shelled mollusks, &c. Like our own Coot it constructs a floating nest of decayed aquatic plants, upon which it deposits its eggs and rears its young. It has often struck me that there are two species of Coot inhabiting Australia, for I possess specimens in differences which appear to me to warrant their being considered as distinct, the y my collection exhibiting must, however, be confirmed or refuted by future observation : should they ultimately > Z ? propriety of which then the range of the bird here represented will extend over Western and Southern prove to be two species, Australia and Van Diemen’s Land, and that of the other over New South Wales. a | Head and neck black; all the upper surface greyish black ; under surface sooty black ; irides bright WF . af the head oreenish white; legs and feet french grey. red; bill light bluish grey ; crown of the head greenish white ; legs and gre) The figure is of the natural size. te P c uy 5 > J iD) < ta os i —Pe Niet phe Mader) tee, en dete R RSA LT ESN ETD a elk ee Tee PARRA GALLINACEKA » Leman. Gallinaceous Parra. Parra gallinacea, Temm. Pl. Col. 464.—Less. Traité d’Orn. 4 : » Pp. 939. Mur-re-ma-rang-geit, Aborigines of Port Essington. Tuis bird may be regar st i : ae Y garded gs one of the most interesting of the additions lately made to the Australian Fauna, since, independently of its beauty, the existence of The Parra gallinacea is one of the most typical membe a true Parra in Australia was hitherto unknown, rs of the genus, its hind toe and claw being more largely developed than those of any other species; hence it is beautifully . those floating leaves and herbage that merely rise to the level of the w: The specimens in my collection were obtained at Port E and expressly adapted for traversing water. : ssington, where this bird was tolerably numerous, but always affecting such localities as rendered it very difficult to procure. H . aving never seen this species in a state of nature, I cannot do better than transcribe Mr. Gilbert’s note S respecting it ; previous to which I may mention that this species is also a native of New Guinea, and that M. Temminck has lately published a figure of it in his ‘‘ Planches Coloriées,” as quoted above. “J did not meet with this bird,” says Mr. Gilbert, “ until the latter part of my stay in the country, just before the wet season set in, when I observed it on the large lake near Point Smith, which at this time (the month of December) contained so little water that I could wade over every part of it; and it was fortunate that this was the case, for this bird confines itself so much to the muddy parts of the middle of the lake, that it might be looked for in vain from the shores. It would seem to be a very local species, for I did not meet with it in any other part of the Peninsula. In the following January, after a succession of heavy rains, the lake became so far filled as to be too deep for a person to attempt to cross any part of it, consequently no second opportunity of observing the Parra occurred before my departure. Those observed by me were distributed in four or five small families in different parts of the lake, and were usually occupied in feeding from the floating aquatic plants, over which the great length of their toes and nails enables them to run with great facility: at the slightest alarm they dive down at once or take to flight. Their powers of diving and of remaining under water are equal to those of any bird I have ever met with : on the other hand, their powers of flight are very weak ; they will, however, often mount up fifteen or twenty yards, and fly from one end of the lake to the other, a distance of half or three-quarters of a mile, but generally they merely rise above the surface of the water and fly off for about a hundred yards ; during flight their long legs are thrown out horizontally to their full length; while feeding they utter a slowly- repeated cluck cluck. The stomach is extremely muscular, and the food consists of aquatic insects and some kind of vegetable matter.” Although the nest and eggs were not found, it evidently breeds in the locality above-mentioned, for among the specimens procured were two young ones. | 7 Back of the head, line down the back of the neck, tips of the shoulders, under surface of the wing, flanks, and a broad band crossing the chest and abdomen deep bluish black; chin and throat white ; orbits, ear- coverts, sides of the neck and breast pale glossy orange, the white and the orange gradually blending into . a ino nearly black < » base of the neck and on each other ; back and scapularies bronzy olive-green, becoming nearly black at the base of the neck the rump; wing-coverts olive-brown ; the remainder of the wing and tail greemish black ; vent and under ides light sulphur-yellow ; eyelash light ash-grey ; bill greenish grey at the ex- the basal portion of the upper mandible and the helmet aurora- -yellow; forepart of the tibia red, with a mixture in patches tail-coverts buffy white ; ir treme tip, then black to near the nostrils ; red; base of the lower mandible light primrose of yellow and greenish grey ; hinder part of the tibia, t The young differs in having all the under surface white, crown ¢ ack of the neck brown, and the back reddish brown, each | irides light brown, and the bill aurora-red, with the exception arsi and toes dark greenish grey. yf the head and occiput reddish chestnut, the line d the b feather margined with a still ne line down the redder hue ; only an indication of the helmet ; of the base of the lower mandible, which is light yellow The figures are those of a male, a female, and a young ish white. bird, of the natural size. i 5 Le La RALLUS PECTORALI Ss, Cu. Pectoral Rail. Rallus pectoralis, Cuv. in Mus. Paris.—Less. Traité d’Orn., Kul-lee of the Aborigines of the lowland districts of W Land Rail of the Colonists. p- 536. estern Australia. r © = ee Tur Pectoral Rail is a summer visitant to New South Wales, but if we regard the Rails from Southern and Western Australia, which are rather smaller and have somewhat more attenuated bills, as mere local varieties, the above remark will extend to the southern portion of the continent generally ; in fact it may then be said to be dispersed over the whole of this part of the country, in all situations suitable to its habits. It usually makes its appearance in New South Wales in the month of August, and retires again in February ; the extent of its range northwards, however, I have not satisfactorily ascertained ; for although I have specimens from the north coast and Raine’s Islet, they present sufficient differences in their form and markings to warrant the supposition of their being a distinct species. In habits, actions and general economy the Rallus pectoralis closely assimilates to the Land Rail ( Ortyo- metra Crew) of Europe; grassy flats between the hills and humid places covered with dense herbage being the localities favourable to its mode of life. It has the same indisposition for exposing itself to view, the same manner of eluding pursuit by running through the grasses, and when forced to quit its retreat flies low, straight, and with the same flapping motion of the wing. The eggs, which are placed on the ground, are four or six in number, of a cream-colour, with numerous large irregular blotches of dark chestnut-red at the larger end, and a few smaller ones distributed over the remainder of their surface ; they are one inch and three-eighths long by one inch broad. It breeds in September, October and November. The stomach is very muscular, and is usually found to contain portions of grasses, seeds, and a quantity of sand. Its flesh forms an excellent article for the table, and the bird itself affords considerable amusement to the sportsman, as pointers will stand to it as to the Land Rail of Europe. The sexes are so similar in colour and markings that they are not easily distinguishable from each other, and the young at an early age assume the plumage of the adult. . . Crown of the head and all the upper surface olive; each feather of the back and scapularies blackish brown in the centre; the feathers at the back of the neck with a double spot of black and white near the edge of each web ; a broad stripe of chestnut-red commences at the base of the bill, passes through the eye and unites at the occiput; wing-coverts olive, spotted on the margins with black and white ; primaries dark brown, the two outer ones crossed by narrow bars of white, and ate remainder with broad bars of an chestnut-red ; stripe over the eye and the chin greyish white, deepening into dark grey on the lower part o the throat ; under surface brownish black, crossed by numerous narrow BS thigh and vent buff; under tail-coverts black, barred 5 ll-defined bars of greyish white ; across the breast a broad band of deep sandy buff; ae ‘dich hazel ; ote “AW: » tip; irides reddish hazel ; with white and tipped with buff; bill red at the base, passing into brown at the tip; urides reddis ; feet brown. : De se eee - surface are In some specimens the white spottings of the upper suriace é The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size. much brighter than in others. SH ULINNALTLLUNLAOUT AHL t HUT ALUANOUHLUUALUUN du dere wheh ee Oa RALLU S LEW INI I, Swains. Lewin’s Water Rail. Rallus brachipus, Swains. An. in Menag., p. 336. —— Lewinu, Swains., Ibid. p. 336. —— brachipus, List of Birds in Brit. Mus. Coll., part ii. p. 115. In Van Diemen’s Land this species is very abundant in all low marshy situations, lagoons, and the rushy banks of rivers; it occurs on most of the small islands in D’Entrecasteauy’ Channel; I have also deen specimens from Southern and Western Australia which are precisely similar in their markings, and only differ in being somewhat larger. Mr. Swainson has evidently described this bird under two names, those of brachipus and Lewin, and I am induced to adopt the latter, which, as he observes, is a just memorial of the first author of a work on the Birds of Australia, in preference to the former, because I find the shortness of the nails and consequent apparent shortness of the toes, which must have suggested the appellation, to be common only to those birds which inhabit the small islands, where, from the hard and stony nature of the ground they have to traverse, the nails become much worn and blunted, while those of the birds inhabiting the main-land and resorting more exclusively to the soft sedgy banks of rivers remain intact. It is very closely allied to the Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus) of Europe, and its habits, manners and mode of life closely resemble those of that bird. The stomach is rather muscular and the food consists of aquatic insects, small mollusks, &c. A nest I found in a lagoon near the river Derwent in Van Diemen’s Land was formed of flags and other aquatic vegetables, placed in a low tuft of rushes, and contained two eggs one inch and a quarter in length by seven-eighths of an inch in breadth, and of a pale olive-colour blotched all over, but parti- cularly at the larger end, with reddish and dark brown. The male has the head and sides of the neck rufous, striated with black on the crown and down the nape ; all the upper surface and tail black striped with olive ; wings, flanks and abdomen banded broadly with black and narrowly with white ; chin white; centre of the throat, breast and abdomen slate-grey ; vent buff; bill brownish red ; irides hazel; feet flesh-colour, becoming darker about the toes. The female is similar, but not so bright in colour. The young is destitute of the red hue on the neck, has only a trac abdomen, and the barring of the wings much less distinct than in the male. The Plate represents the two sexes of the size of life. e of the barring on the flanks and y , . yy usin A Ayr hay Copp? Mappiey] ON al aS: po SUNMC sa hick semmrieg: MIND? PP are: in EKULABEORNIS CAST ANEOVENTRIS, Gowda. Chestnut-bellied Rail. Eulabeornis castaneoventris, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., March 26, 1844. Mor-dug-e-ra, Aborigines of Port Essington. Turis large and fine species of Rail, of which a single specimen only has as yet come under my notice, inhabits the low muddy shores and mangrove swamps of the north coast of Australia. The specimen above alluded to, which is in my own collection, was killed in the Gulf of Carpentaria by Captain Stokes, R.N., late Commander of H.ML.S. the Beagle; to this gentleman I am also indebted for many acts of kindness and liberality, while science in more than one branch has been enriched by the discoveries made by himself and his officers during their late survey. I had some time before received the eggs of this species from Port Essington, but from its extreme shyness the bird could never be obtained ; in fact, the wariness of its disposition is such, that even to catch a glimpse of it among the dense herbage and mangroves is an extremely rare occurrence. It runs with extraordinary fleetness, and takes alarm the instant the vicinity of its habitat is intruded upon. The eggs are rather lengthened in form, of a pale pinky white, dotted all over with reddish chestnut, the spots being thinly dispersed, and some of them appearing as if beneath the surface of the shell, giving them a darker tint, two inches and one-eighth long, one inch and five-eighths broad. Head and neck ash-grey; all the upper surface, wings and tail olive; breast and all the under surface greyish chestnut ; bill yellow at the base, horn-colour at the tip ; legs and feet brown. Both sexes will doubtless be hereafter found to possess a similar kind of plumage. The Plate represents the bird of the natural size. — W7¢ o ae 6% en Pea ay LA ON ( 2S a OA PORZANA FLUMINEA, Gowa. Spotted Water Crake. Porzana fluminea, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part X. Dp. 139 Tus species, like its representative in the British Islands (Radlus porzana, Linn.), inhabits morasses, reed-beds, and the neighbourhood of rivers clothed with dense herbage ; hence it is seldom to be seen unless the greatest trouble and labour be taken to hunt it out from its hiding-place. The uniform grey tint of its breast and under surface, and its smaller size, are characters by which it may at once be distinguished from the European species. The Spotted Water Crake is an inhabitant of Van Diemen’s Land, South Australia and New South Wales, to which portions of Australia it would seem to be confined. My stay in Australia was too short to afford me opportunities of thoroughly investigating its habits, or of gaining any precise information respecting its nidification ; but it is natural to suppose that in these respects it as closely assimilates to its European ally as it does in its structure and outward appearance. The sexes present so little difference in colour, that they are only to be distinguished by dissection. All the upper surface olive, with a broad stripe of blackish brown down the centre and two oval spots of white, bounded above and below with black on the margin of each web of every feather; primaries and secondaries brown; tail dark brown, margined with lighter brown and with an indication of white spots on the extreme edge; face, throat, chest and upper part of the abdomen dark slate-grey ; lower part of the abdomen and flanks greyish black, crossed by narrow irregular bars of white ; under tail-coverts white ;_ bill orange-red at the base, and dark olive-green for the remainder of its length ; feet dark olive-green. The figures are of the natural size. wh idcdtle i PORZANA PALUSTRIS, Gowa. Water Crake. Porzana palustris, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part X. p. 139. Tuts little Water Crake would appear to be more abundant in Van Diemen’s Land than on the continent of Australia, for although I clearly ascertained that it inhabits New South Wales, it is not so numerous there, in consequence, probably, of the country beg much less fluviatile, and therefore much less suitable to its habits; for, like the Porzana fluminea, the present bird finds a natural abode in morasses covered with reeds and luxuriant herbage, to the more dense parts of which it is exclusively confined. Like all the other members of the genus, the present species swims with great facility, and displays the same power of diving, to which it equally resorts in time of need, and thus often successfully eludes the attacks of its natural enemies ; in addition, few birds are more agile or thread the reeds with greater activity; hence, like the last species, it is seldom to be caught sight of unless the greatest vigilance be exerted in search of it. I am indebted to the Rev. T. J. Ewing of Van Diemen’s Land for the nest and eggs of this bird; the former is a flat structure formed of various kinds of grasses, and the latter are four or five in number, of a nearly uniform brownish olive, about one inch in length by three quarters of an inch in breadth. Head and back of the neck rusty brown, with a stripe of blackish brown down the centre of each feather ; feathers of the back, scapularies and secondaries brownish black margined with rusty brown, and with an oblong stripe or mark of white, interrupted in the middle with black; wing-coverts rusty brown, a few of them marked on their imer webs like the scapularies ; primaries brown, two or three of the innermost with a mark or marks of white at the tip; tail dark brown, fringed with rusty brown ; face, throat, chest and upper part of the abdomen grey; lower part of the abdomen and flanks blackish grey, crossed by broad irregular bands of grey ; bill and feet olive-brown. The figures are of the natural size. eer pln ee Te ~epe Niel SA eertieh Se aw asigtc PORZANA LEUCOPHRYS, Gow. White-eyebrowed Water Crake. Porzana leucophrys, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., March 23, 1847. Al-man-diu-ar-ga, Aborigines of Port Essington. Tuis species is an inhabitant of the northern parts of Australia, where it frequents the thick clumps of mangrove roots bordering the lakes. It is a somewhat familiar bird, and is but little disturbed by the approach of an intruder; on the contrary, it will frequently run up a branch, turn round, gaze at him, and utter its very singular loud and chattering cutche, cutche, with but little apparent alarm. Occasionally several are heard in chorus, as if attempting to excel each other in noise. It is by no means difficult to obtain specimens, except when the water is too deep to admit of wading round the roots of the man- groves. As yet it has only been observed on one lake near Port Essington, but as the natives are perfectly acquainted with it, it is doubtless abundant on some other part of the Cobourg Peninsula. The stomachs of those dissected were muscular, and contained the remains of insects of various kinds, and a large proportion of sand. The young differ from the adult in having only an indication of the marks on the face, in having the crown of the head brown instead of brownish black, and the sides of the neck and flanks deep buff instead of dark grey. From the base of the upper mandible to the posterior angle of the eye a streak of greyish white ; from the eye to the gape a broad patch of deep black ; crown of the head brownish black ; back of the neck, upper surface and tail brownish black, each feather margined with pale reddish, the latter colour becoming very conspicuous on the wing-coverts and scapularies ; wings pale brown ; sides of the head, neck and breast grey; chin and centre of the abdomen white ; flanks and under tail-coverts rufous; upper mandible reddish brown; tomia of both mandibles tile-red ; legs and feet oil-green, blotched with light ash-colour. The figures represent an adult and a young bird of the natural size. Sra Se CRRA wet SLIT LEE a | Rae , a ee nl le TALI FY DY PORZANA? IMMACULATA. Spotless Gallinule. Gallinula immaculata, Swains. An. in Menag., p. 337.—Ib. Class. of Birds, vol. ii. p. 358. Wat-ra-jah, Aborigines of the lowland districts of Western Australia. Tattle Swamp Hen of the Colonists. I sevinve I am correct in stating that this species is universally distributed over the whole of Australia, Van Diemen’s Land, and the islands in Bass’s Straits. My collection contains specimens from every one of the colonies, all of which so closely resemble each other, that they scarcely exhibit sufficient difference to constitute local varieties. Like the other members of the group this bird is very recluse in its habits, and seldom to be seen, although it is tolerably abundant in all districts of a wet and swampy character, where thick reed-beds, and the sedgy banks of rivers or lagoons constitute its most favourite places of abode. When urged by necessity it swims with grace and elegance, and sports about with ease among the floating leaves of aquatic plants in search of snails and other mollusks, of which, with insects, seeds, and the tender blades of grasses and other vegetables, its food consists. It rarely takes wing, scarcely ever indeed unless forced to do so. The sexes, which are precisely alike, may be thus described :-— Head and all the under surface dark slate-grey, becoming nearly white on the chin; back, wing-coverts and tertiaries rich deep reddish brown; bill black; irides and eyelash bright red; feet and legs dull brick- nede The figures are of the natural size. he pik ee Te to eel tte ati —— al a eee ee CA ree ff | ee es ee J tele “ Ce Rion ey x) a — ee ——— » RGR LOADAS Tu IP Se. WX IX kK Wey y k= Ie. BE: > a’ ; +, Tyr y PEAR GIEP EY SESAFSAT SFA SERIES PROPIA -¢ a . aa T/ NA AI Oy ‘ IG a FOP N SO ‘ KN Ne O Fe a* 2 * Lay oe x ye NSIS = WX: 2 ¢ aN > aie LS = " < oe ee Se ; OO * ASS * GAC ee een ar oe a aR © 0 : yx om & CKO Ox 9 y KO : nts OS IOS ou OI. , A ag ? : ss 5 AS Au ay , y Py . 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