TALEGALLA LATHAML.
Wattled Talegalla.

New Holland Vulture, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. i. p. 32.

Genus Alectura, Ibid, vol. x. p. 455.

Alectura Latham, Gray, Zool. Misc., No. I. p. 3. Jard. and Selby, Ill. Orn.
New Holland Vulture, Swains. Class of Birds, vol. i. Dp: o8a:
Catheturus Australis, Ibid, vol. ii. p- 206.

Meleagris Lindesayii, Jameson, Mem. Wern. Nat. Hist. Soc., vol. vii. p. 473.
Brush Turkey of the Colonists ; Wee-lah, Aborigines of the Namoi.

» Vol. iii. pl. exl.

 

 

Ir has often been asserted that Australia abounds in anomalies, and in no instance is the truth of this pro-
position more fully exemplified than in the history of the very singular bird here represented, respecting the
situation of which, in the natural system, much diversity of opinion has hitherto prevailed. It was conse-
quently one of the birds which demanded my utmost attention during my late expedition, and I trust
that the following details will assist in clearing up this long-disputed point.

The bird in question was originally described and figured by the late Dr. Latham in the first volume of
his ‘‘ General History of Birds,” under the name of New Holland Vulture ; but subsequently he conceived
himself in error in classing it with the Vulturide, and at the end of the tenth volume of the same work placed
it among the Gallinacee, with the generic appellation of Alectura: the species was afterwards dedicated
to this venerable ornithologist by Mr. John Edward Gray, in his “ Zoological Miscellany.”

The generic and specific terms, Catheturus Australis, were subsequently applied to it by Mr. Swainson, who
in both volumes of his “ Classification of Birds ” replaces it among the Vulturide, in order, apparently, to
establish his own views respecting this family, of which he considers it the rasorial type, and details at some
length why he entertains this opinion.

“The New Holland Vulture,” says Mr. Swainson, “is so like a rasorial bird, that some authors have hesitated (not having seen
a specimen) as to what order it really belonged. So completely, indeed, has nature disguised this rare and extraordinary vulture
in the semblance of that type which it is to represent in its own family, that it has even been classed by one writer with the Menura ;
and it must be confessed, that if clear conceptions of the difference between analogy and affinity are not entertained, such a classi-
fication has some plausible reasons to recommend it. The feet, in fact, of the two birds are formed nearly on the same principle,
but then so are those of Orthonyz, a little scansorial bird not much bigger thana Robin. All three genera, in short, are remarkable
for their large disproportionate feet, long and slightly curved claws, and the equality of length, or nearly so, of the outer and the
middle toe. Nor is this the only peculiarity of the New Holland Vulture ; for, unlike all others of its family, it possesses eighteen
feathers in its tail. An examination of the bill, which is decidedly raptorial, joined with many other considerations, shows that
all these are but analogical relations to the Rasores, while the real affinities of the bird are in the circle of the Vulturide, of which
it forms the rasorial one A perfect specimen of this very rare vulture, now before us,” continues this author, ‘“‘ enables us to
speak ofits structure from personal examination.”

The term Alectura having been previously employed for a group of Flycatchers, and the present bird
possessing all the characters of M. Lesson’s genus Za/egalla, which was published prior to Mr. Swainson’s
Catheturus, 1 feel that I ought to adopt that appellation.

How far its range may extend over Australia is not yet satisfactorily ascertained ; it is known to inhabit
various parts of New South Wales, from Cape Howe on the south to Moreton Bay on the north; but the
assaults of the cedar-cutters and others who so frequently hunt through the brushes of Illawarra and Mait-
land, having nearly extirpated it from those localities, it is now most plentiful in the dense and little-
trodden brushes of the Manning and Clarence. I was at first led to believe that the country between the
mountain-ranges and the coast constituted its sole habitat ; but I was ee surprised to find it also an
inhabitant of the scrubby gullies and sides of the lower hills that branch off from the great range into the
interior. I procured specimens on the Brezi range to the north of Liverpool Plains, and ascertained that it
was abundant in all the hills on either side of the Namoi. |

It is a gregarious bird, generally moving about in small companies, much after the manner : bis a
nace@, and, like some species of that tribe, is very shy and distrustful. When disturbed it reac My eludes
pursuit by the facility with which it runs through the tangled brush. a ee Se ee
by its great enemy the native dog, the whole company spring upon the pe fee me : a Sale
bouring tree, and by a succession of leaps from branch to branch ascend to the top, and either pe

or fly off to another part of the brush. They are also in the habit of resorting to the branches of trees as a
c ) pic J : :
/ kas ‘ i" struc as 2 Ss rtsman 1s not
shelter from the mid-day sun, a peculiarity that greatly tends to their destruction, as the a an 1s
: 2 es 3 > ee “iC »y will even allow a suc-
only enabled to take a certain aim, but, like the Ruffed Grouse of America, they will even < :

t e e t ey 7 J y as res c Ip ed for heir

 

preservation, this circumstance must lead to an ear et ie
. ° arwi1arwg Cc ag 7 Cc
since independently of its being an interesting bird for the av lary, its flesh is e3 ? ;
’ 4 5

and juicy. pees ne
s bir e the facts of its not

The most remarkable circumstances connected with the economy of this bird, ar : é
oe the means resorted to for effecting this object, although in some degree
1 c z a . . r 7, : Tl, t
is yet upon a totally different principle. The Wattled Tale-

aving vegetable matter as a depositary for the eggs, and
¢ 5 5

of the young. The

 

hatching its eggs by incubation:
assimilating to the practice of the Ostrich,
immense heap of dec
RIE ash threnaect | oe of decomposition for the development
: ; a ; e . re a ES .
Me ae crsee in cole al by the birds during several weeks previous to the period of laying ;
se Is € ‘the birds gs
heap employed for this purpose is collected by