RALLÇjS ' PECTORALIS, Cuv.
Pectoral Rail.
Ralhs pectoralis\ Ç^ri^a. Mus. Paris.—Less. Traftéd’€|r^?£p. '53$,
Kül-lee of tjie Aborigines o^^|^^m|^d0 taCots ôf Westera Australia.
Land Rail of tlie '^blbmsts.
Thi "Pi 1 tiMjilS jy S iffflS a ffii i usiiant to Vafcs5ifU^\‘ilte,J' l j ^ 5 « e regard the Rails from Southern
and Wc rcJfejymBjBBBgCT ate rather<smapfeapd have somewhat mrap attenuated billfepg; mere local
^ v S e n f? I he !SS5^ mi3iH|wi1I 1 xit nd 'the, continent generally,; in fact it-'
i hi n In - ud to In dispe i sell ' ot this parUol-Oie eonntry, in all situation» suitable to its
habits© It usiiilK'in.ikV> its .ippidianu'jrolVw South Wallpfl the month of m j t i jh , and retires agun in
n a p norlbyuLil^Simvi m i I hSr^jbt sitistictorily Ascertained; for although.I
lane "spi‘i-iim-,ii'_(ro^3ciie north cei.i-rZaiid- Is-Ieilu^^prcsent sufficient differences ite^ieir form
and markii i i tv irr int*i la supposiUeu^l the ir*lie eng ^ditiuet spti its.
In bJbiis, ai tum^^md ge mfSr’i ipafflmltBi Hal’vipectoralis cloaJy^Hsigdilrs to the Land Bail (Otiyo-
ifylf'a'l r) 1 I grass) 11 its' betm in ibi^InlL'anlLbuniiil pi lies rojeff'd" ivilIF dense herbage being
jplp I i dun s favourable to its mode < ttblc^gli liis the imc 11 riisp) itif n fn imposing itsoll ip. new, the
Smu nwurur <jl tlu^aSpm>!^K?jMmu^lbriiii^li the'gjfasses^ an,dfwheu fqre e^t^^ it its retreat flics
low struglit, mil vyrhlrlii'snmi .flapping morion of the wirijjp j p
S p J ® i a ‘ which m pi ufd in tho^omnl^vn f mij o r sm^nnmber, .il^^c^igslnlonr, wtlli nuinirons
gular blotches it .ifiil tigistnuti$ L it fiIk nil,*mil Uiw -m dhr o i g ^ ^ ^ ^ g ^ e r
tilt iXipn'ml' r"ol 1 lujir^snrtai 1 , tin v‘ iS ^ p jh j.h ‘ a^ljrarcT eigluhsffiij^hlfrflpe hich broad. It breeds
in September, OctpEer^M^
■ m H H mil is usInlipuuiid^Mont iniMr^ons o f grasses'- set d s 'ju d a ijuantitj of
■ pydelfeni a r t i c T S i& t i f lib i r aiid.lhc j g B j M ;ffords‘ ■ 1 nsiderable amusement
to the sportsman, ij pointers will si mil to 11 a v t ly ja r l md B id ot 1 urope.
The sen s an sifsimi 1*1*111 colour and uuiknigs»th distinguish iIiIl troin each other,
.induin' young at gn. early age assume the .plumage 'of the adult.
Crowg olpthe head aud-airtlu upper ulur ..1 ihc I. ick and scapularies blackish
b$wn lo the centr4%h£feathcrsgjr thegback o^tjfelneck^lth^.ijluiitthjspot i.fyldiU and white near the
111 cheignut-ied eonnihip-/’ 1 the hist^nt the bill, p is«cs through thp eye
and unitea^t the-oeisiput; wing-overi, iffiic^p^a^.m'lt;. origins'wit]i hluh and white; primaries
dark browiffthe two o u t lin e s crossed bynarrew bars ijtfl'ghuc~,'m<t'.ihc remai nder .with of dull
chestnut-red .stupe over the eve Ru/rhe thin d^yuiijli^into i^rk ei 1J onfthe lower part of
- the throat; i f f i surface brownish blaek 1 r ssi d b) nuins<rQus^jgrn)j..yv<'ll ih fined b irs g r e y i s h white ;
' H i v e . unde 1 tu lip « rl» bluk, barred
with whitejnd tipped with b u l l i t ilu, hose, passing'into brown^aftjie tipg j fe^ceddish hazel;
feet brown ^ __ %
In some specimens the white spottings °^®e ,’iPBe^ ^ ® cS 4 re ro0«^ ’brighter than iq. others.
The Plate represents the.jwo seres of the natural size.