SYNOICUS DIEMENENSIS, Gould.

Van Diemen’s Land Partridge.

Synoicus Diemenensis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., March, 1847.
Greater Brown Quail of the Colonists.

 

During my visit to Van Diemen’s Land I was frequently informed that there were two kinds of Quail
besides the era and painted Quails, the former of which is a true Cotwrnix and the latter a Hemzpodius,
while the two birds referred to belong to neither of those genera, but to that of Synotcus. They are
distinguished as the greater and lesser Brown Quail, and sometimes the name of Partridge was given
to the bird here figured, doubtless from its going in coveys and resembling the Common Dacaidee of
Europe in many of its actions: I failed in my endeavours to obtain examples, but I was fortunate enough

oe 5 aes

to procure its nest and eggs, which differed so much from those of the common species as to con-
vince me that they had been laid by a different bird: on a late visit to Paris, I found at the house

of M. Verreaux several specimens of the bird itself, which had been sent to him by his brother direct from :
Van Diemen’s Land, and which being placed at my disposal enable me to give figures of both species. It is .

fully a third larger in size than the S. Australis, and has the markings of the upper surface more numerous )
and varied ; the situations it affects appear to be low marshy grounds covered with dense masses of herbage. Hh
The eggs I procured were found in the swamps immediately below New Norfolk ; they are more green than
those of §. Australis, are sprinkled all over with minute spots of brown, and are from twelve to eighteen
in number, one inch and seven-sixteent
convinced, that the birds of the form to whic
more species than has hitherto been supposed.

Forehead, lores and chin greyish white tinged with buff; crown of t
marked with beautiful transverse bars of grey,

vish white down the centre; primaries brown,

ie a

hs long by one inch and an eighth broad. I feel more than ever

h the generic term Synoicus has been applied, constitute many

he head dark brown, with a line of

buff down the centre; all the upper surface irregularly
black and chestnut, each feather with a fine stripe of gre
he under surface greyish buff, each feather with

mottled on their external edges with greyish brown 5 all t
hem with a very fine line of white

hat arrow-shaped marks of black, and many of t

numerous regular somew
k at the tip; indes orange ; feet dull yellow.

down the centre; bill blue, deepening into blac

The Plate represents the two sexes rather less than the size of life.