$}*&$ *XV1H(« J H I W l f M I l I M S t t H I
H EM IP O D f ||f PYRRHOTHORAX, Gould.
Red-chested Ilemipode.
Hemipodius November 10, 1§40; ' ‘i *i
Little as is known of the Swift-^^g;Hepiipode, even less information has been obtained respecting the
history of the present species,which,, althQugh ^simUating ^^jme;Qf" its characters to the former, differs
from it in the marking .of the face and neck, and the rufous colouring of the fore part of the throat and
che st: it is also somewhat’more slender andelegant m i ts proportions. It first came under my notice
ntijmile traversing the flats near’ Aberdeen, on tlie ^ p p er/Hunter. when my; dog pointing at what 1 conceived
to he a specimen of the preceding species, a female of the present bird arose before me, and I at once
saw; from the rufous colouring of the breast, that rnwroatfedafe had previously seen : my shot was a,
successful one, and it was with no small delight that I picked up the beautiful, bird, from which the
accompanying drawing of/file female was taken. I diligently soughfe for othersMrat was not fortunate
enough to meet with a' secpnd^living specimen. For th ^ ^H f^m ale which enables me to complete
my Plate, I am indebted to Mr. Charles; Co^en,twho had killed it some years before in the neighbourhood
of the ffiverpool Plains, but who could giye5m ^ noffifljEther information respecting i t : he had never seen the
female.. Qf its habits and nidification, of cou^ei^ t h ihgfis therefore known : when the distant interior is
exploredvjfe^e^habitat will doubtless be discovered, but until then its history must remain buried in
obscurity.
Crown of. the head dark brpj|ns’ with a line of buff down the centre; feathers surrounding the eye, ear-
coverts and sides of^the neck extremely smaj^ifwhite edged with black; back and rump darkbrown, transversely
rayed with bars and freckles of blank and buff; wings paler, edged with buff, within which is a line
o f black running in the same direction; primaries brown, margined with buff; pfhcgat, chest, flanks and
under tail-eoverts sandy red, passing into* white on the centre of the abdomen^hill horn-colour; irides
straw-yellow; feet yellowish white.
The male has a similar character of markings on the upper surface, but the Golburing^of the throat and
flanks is much
The Plate represents a male and a female of the natural size.