locusts and grasshoppers form the principal p a rt; a considerable* gbafitity of sandhis' also• fq m fiïn H h e
gizzard, which J lffiry thick and' muscular.
H ri ijucntlv found diqjie-t «ml eggs < H | i S W g M H H n | ( h e bush both in Van'Diemen’s Land
aiïd’ Xr» South, „\®e£" and t^ ^& o iftn g - a re the notea nSde at the time' which arè próbably;wörth
transcribing :—
“ Van Diemen’s Land, 28th of Dec. 1838. Foundtwo.bevys between Hobart Town and'
one clutch was much smaller t^m^the^ther, being in fac^wly-just hatched, while the others appearedfpT
be twoior three weeks oldw .The legs of the younger birds were dull flesh-yellow; their bills black.at the
tip. and nearly white^a^the base; their eyes very dark brown : the legs of tfl^M e r birds were orange, their'
hills still lighter at; the base and their eyes grey." - .
■^^«yarrundi, New South Wales, Oct; 16, 1839. Found a n e s t '^ i slfot a female which waM j ^ g o n
four eggs. ‘ While in * thé^kct^öf ihcubatipn the female appears to coVer her eggs in'i’d pectdiar- manner,.
each side of the breast where it* is' bare of feathers.” '
^ iThe^ight rof the Varied' HOmipodeis'heavy, tolerably rapid= but o f short duration, and^athever flies-
higher;tban just above thé? scrub Or grass-. - ■
The adults have thelefOWn5 of the head, nape and forehead rich > brown^: spotted .with^whijef^ud transversely
rayed with large markings of brown •, feathers of the-cheeks and a stripe over each eye white, slightly;
fringed with black a t«tbêir? tips ; throat greyish white; back and sidesrhf^the neck and'mantle rich, bufaus?
brown ; feathers öf thé baék, J-ump and upper'taiï-cöverts transversely rayed with -cbestnut-redj and black,-
the former and the scapulariés striped latêrally'with black aöd white?; :wingk>*ufous,&dach feather spotted
with ;white^ whicb^is bounded posteriorly with an irregular« spot oflh la c k p rim a rie s nbrown ; chest andt
flanks olive, eaëh feather «having a triangular yellowish white spot a t the tip ;; c e n tre ’tifdhe abdomen and;
under tail-coverts yellowish white; bill brown, with a bluish tinge ; irides bright reddish: orange; legs and
feet orknge;- claws white/ •=
1 The Platërepreseiits a male and a female of the natural size.