SPHENCEACUS GALACTOTES.
Tawny Sphenoeacus.
Malurus galactotes, Temm. PI. Col., 65.
Megalurus galactotes, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 228.
T his is a scarce species in New South Wales, the few individuals I have seen being from the grassy
districts of the Liverpool Plains; in all probability, however, it ranges along the eastern and over the
whole o f the northern portion o f Australia. Mr. Gilbert’s notes inform me that he found it “ tolerably
abundant on tbe islands at the head o f Van Diemen’s Gulf, where it inhabits the long grass or rushes
growing in or adjacent to the swamps; it is so shy that it is very rarely seen ; when closely hunted it takes
wing, but flying appears to be a difficult action at all times; at least I have never seen it sustain a
flight o f more than a hundred yards at the utmost, and even in that short distance it seemed ready to sink
into tbe grass with fatigue. The only note I have heard it emit is a harsh and rapidly repeated chutch. The
stomachs of those I dissected were extremely muscular, and contained the remains o f insects of various
kinds and what appeared to be vegetable fibres.”
General plumage pale brown, deepening into rufous on the crown o f the head and fading into dull white
on the throat and centre of the abdomen ; all the feathers o f the upper surface with blackish brown centres ;
secondaries blackish brown, broadly margined with pale brown; (ail pale brown, crossed with indistinct
bars of a darker t in t; irides light brown ; upper mandible olive-brown, the cutting edges light yellowish
white ; lower mandible bluish white ; tarsi and feet light reddish flesh-colour.
The figures are of the natural size.