■ e itS Im s melai . i
Hemipodius melanotus, Gould in Proc. W p p i i l p . , Fart V. p. 8 ; and-in Australia, Part II.
Twmvts melanotus, 419; note. •
S everal' elapsed ^ ^ w ^ d |^ i a l e d ^specimen received from Moreton
I have obtained o tlte r^ am p les from S ^ a s tem r a n j^ ^ p ^ ^ p a r t s of Australia. It was
prociiredpM | ^ g er lbcality by Mr. Bynoe, andfto t b a t / g e t ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ g S p j t h e two fine specimens
figured in the accompanying Plate.
Tn structure au(^,pL£t^marly’ in the feeble form of its bill, tbe Hemipodius melanotus bears a close alliance
to the Hemipodius varius; and these s le u d e r -b ille d ^ ^ i^ fo ti^ a small section which mig^^pb>propriety
be separated from birds.; s uch as H . celox a ^ ^ M castaneothorax.
P ^jjfhe female of this species is a g § ||e r bird than t h ^ f i ^ ^ ^ S l S c h respect only do tbefseixes differ in
^ ^ |w a rd appearance.
*l?he total want of information habits this bird compels me to conclude my
account of it with the foljpwing description of its colouring only =lliiSsil
Crown of the head black, each feather^m||d'|wittL brown at the tipr* spaee between the bill and the eye,
stripe over the eye and cheeks, light y el^ ^M i^Swn j the feathers of the latter5| ^ ^ f e i p p ^ ^ | | ^ b l a c k ;
back of the neck rich chestnut-red; scapularies deep chestnut-red, with a large transverse black markin
tbe centre of each feather, s t ri pe ofJMwn^Vellbw o p ^ ^ ^ outer edges ; rump and tipper
tail-coverts black, each feather freckled5?^ pB f^ ^ ^ ^ ^R p g ,§'Qti^ ^^M\ with indistinct spots of buff onfche
external edges of the upper tail-coverts; greater anpl^lesser ^^^b o ^ ^ ^ fefl|^u b v ^Ae ach ; feather having a
spot of black in the centre; primaries brown, J i ^ f d f ^ ^ n e c k nfi^chest, deep buff; sides
of the neck and flanks light buff, with an oblong spot dpBIack transversely disposelktin the centre of each
feather ; add under tail-coverts buffy white; bill and fe e tfp l& k ,. -
The figures ^ < ^ f the natural size.