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TURNIX FASCIATUS, Temm.

Fasciated Hemipode.

Hemipodius fasciatus, Temm. Hist. Nat. Gén. des Pig. et des Gall., tom. iii. pp. 634 and 757.

Turniz fasciatus, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. ili. p. 511, Turniz, sp. 14.

——— fasciata, Bonap. Tab. Parall. de ’Ordre des Gallinacés in Compt. Rend. de l’Acad. des Sci., tom. xlii.
Mai 12, 1856.

 

Mr. Wattace has sent several examples of a species of Zurniv from Macassar, which I have but little
doubt are referable to the Hemipodius fasciatus of Temminck, who states that he took his description from a
specimen in the Paris Museum, which was said to have been received from the Philippine Islands, and
which up to the present moment has remained unique; the acquisition then of additional examples of this
rare bird by Mr. Wallace is a further evidence of the great service his explorations have rendered to the
cause of ornithological science.

As no figure of the bird has been previously published either in this country or on the continent, I trust
some interest will attach to those here given, which represent both sexes of the size of life, or perhaps
a trifle smaller.

The sexes present the usual difference in the smaller size of the male, but, contrary to the general
rule with regard to this group of birds, are very similarly coloured. :

Specimens of both sexes, procured by Mr. Wallace, are contained in the National Collection and in my own.

The male has the head mottled with black and brown, and a line of buffy white down the centre; face
buffy white speckled with black ; back light reddish brown, gradually passing into deep rust-red on the lower
part, rump, and upper tail-coverts ; a few of the feathers of the upper part of the back with a crescent of
black, succeeded by another of buffy white at the tip; the lower or redder part rayed transversely with
black ; wings brown, each of the coverts with a large spot of black near the tip, and tipped with buffy white ;
primaries edged, and secondaries mottled and edged on their external webs with pale reddish brown; chin
buff; neck, breast, and upper half of the flanks crossed by numerous fasciz of buffy white and black, which
increase in size as they descend from the throat; centre of the abdomen buff; lower half of the flanks,
vent, thighs, and under tail-coverts sandy red; bill and feet greenish yellow.

In the female the general arrangement of the colours is very similar, but the forehead and sides of the
head are much darker, approaching to black, and these black feathers are tipped with white, forming a mottled
line over each eye; the line down the centre of the head is grey; the markings of the wings are bolder,
and the fasciz which commence on the chin are narrower and more numerous.

The Plate represents the two sexes about the size of life.