E U L A B E Q ^ N I S C A S T A N E O V E N T R I S , Gould.
Chestnut-bellied Bail;
Eitlabeomis castdnçoventiis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soe., March 26, 1844.
Mor-dug-e-ra, A b orig in e s Qgp?OTt Essingtoji.
This large and fine species of;Rail, o f which a single specimen only*has as yet come under my notice,
inhabits the low muddy shores and mangrove swamps'^ the north p ja s t of Australia. The specimen above
alluded to, which is in my own collection, w%s, hille^|m thaW t f o f Carpentaria by Captain Stokes, R.N.,
H.M.S. the Beagle; to t h i s f o r many acts of kindness
and liberality, while; more than one branch has, been en^ched b$i|Bj§ discoveries made by
himself and his officer's' d^^^plneir lat,e survey. I had some time before received the eggs of this species
^romi Port Essington, buCfror^^ ^ extreme shyness the bird could never be obtained; in fact, the wariness
o f its disposition is such, that even to ca^ i^ gli^n^M o^|r among the dense herbage and mangroves is an'
extremely rareloccummce. It runs with extraordinary fleetness, and takes alarm the instant the vicinity of
its habitat is intruded u pp hSi|l
The'eggs are rather lengthened'in form, of a pale pinky white,|dbfted all over with reddish chestnut, the
spots being thinly dispersed, ai0|§ome o f theni appearing as i f beneath -tjhe Surface qf the shell, givingthem
a d i n c h e s 1andiot f j eg | h ' im . one inch and jfi^^ei^hlhs^hrhadt»
Head and neck ash-grey; all th^upper^urface, wings and tailoHve^bjc^aiKand all the under surface
greyish chestnut?; bill yellow at the base, b •at the tip';; legs ^^Meet brown.
Both sexes will doubtless be hereafter founmfepossess a similar kind of plumage.
| l|g | e Plate represents the bird o f "