PODARGUS PLUMIFERUS, Gowid.

Plumed Podargus.

Podargus plumiferus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part XIII. p. 104.

 

Tue only information I have to communicate respecting this beautiful Podargus, is, that it is a native of the
brushes of the Clarence and neighbouring rivers in New South Wales, and that several examples have come
under my notice, of which one is deposited in the Museum at Dublin, another in the Museum at Manchester,
and two are contained in my own collection; of the latter, one was sent to me by Mr. Strange of Sydney,
and the other was purchased with other Australian birds in London. It is readily distinguished from all the
other Australian members of the genus by the more lengthened form of tail, and by the remarkable and
conspicuous tufts of feathers which spring from immediately above the nostrils: considerable variation is
found to exist in the colouring of the various specimens, some being much redder than the others, and
having the markings on the under surface much less distinct and of a more chestnut tint,

Nothing whatever is known of its habits and economy, points which must remain for future discovery and
research to make known.

Tuft of feathers covering the nostrils alternately banded with blackish brown and white ; all the upper
surface mottled brown, black, and brownish white, the latter predominating over each eye, where it forms
a conspicuous patch; the markings are of a larger but similar kind on the wings, and on the primaries and
secondaries assume the form of bars; tail similar but paler, and with the barred form of the markings still
more distinct; centre of the throat and chest brownish white, minutely freckled with brown ; sides of the
neck and breast, and all the under surface similar, but with a dark line of brown down the centre, and two
large nearly square-shaped spots of brownish white near the tip of each feather; bill and feet horn-colour.

The figures are of the natural size.