CINCLORAMPHUS CRURALIS.

Brown Cincloramphus.

Megalurus cruralis, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 228.
Cincloramphus cruralis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V. p- 150; and in Syn. Birds of Australia, Part IV.

 

As there are two, if not three, species of this very singular genus inhabiting the southern portion of
Australia, which bear a great resemblance to each other, it becomes necessary to state that the bird repre-
sented in the accompanying Plate is the one commonly seen during the months of spring and summer in all
the open districts of New South Wales, in which country it arrives in August, and after performing the
task of incubation, departs again in January or February. Open downs, grassy flats and fields of corn are
its favourite places of resort. It is certainly one of the most animated of the Australian birds. Had
I not visited Australia and personally studied its habits, my credulity would have been severely taxed
upon being informed that the two birds here figured represent the male and female of the same species,
many genera having been instituted upon much slighter grounds of difference ; I had abundant proofs,
however, that such is really the case, having seen many of the nests and eggs with the parent bird in
the act of incubation, during the two seasons I spent in the country. In most of its habits and in its
economy this bird closely assimilates to the Skylark of Europe. During the early months of spring it
trips over the ground in the most sprightly manner with its tail nearly erect ; mounts on the dead limbs
of trees and the fences of enclosures, and runs along them with the greatest dexterity ; at this season of
the year also the male may be frequently seen running beside his diminutive partner, and so busily engaged
in pouring forth his song for her amusement, as to be apparently unconscious of the presence of any
other object. After the female has chosen the place for her nest, which is always on the ground, the
male, like the Skylark, frequently mounts in the air with a tremulous ee of the ae ad after
cheering her with his animated song, descends again to the ground or skims off to a neighbouring tree,
and incessantly pours forth his voluble and not unpleasing notes.

I found it very abundant in all the Upper Hunter districts, as well as in all the surrounding country, both
[ killed numerous examples of both sexes, but not one male with the throat and
cimens I have seen from Port Philip and South Australia, and which I consider

to the north and south:
under surface black, like spe
to be specifically distinct.

The male has the entire plumage brown, .
e of the abdomen ; bill, inside of the mouth and tongue black ; irides hazel; feet

each feather margined with brownish white ; a large patch of

dark brown on the centr
flesh-brown.

The female is similar in colour, bu
her a paler hue than her mate; the under
abdomen is much smaller.

The Plate represents a male and a female of the natural size.

t the feathers being more broadly margined with brownish white gives
surface is also much lighter, and the patch in the centre of the