_J. Gould and H.C. Richter del et lith._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
SYNOÏCUS AUSTRALIS.
Australian Partridge.
_Perdix Australis_, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. lxii.
_Coturnix Australis_, Temm. Pig. et Gall. 8vo, tom. iii. pp. 474 and
740.—Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. xi. p. 373.—Vieill. Gal. des Ois., pl.
215.—Less. Traité d’Orn., p. 508.
_New Holland Quail_, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 283.—Ib. Gen.
Hist., vol. viii. p. 306.
_Moo-ȑeete_, Aborigines of the lowland districts of Western Australia.
_Brown Quail_, Colonists of Swan River and Van Diemen’s Land.
The present species will at all times claim more than ordinary attention
from the colonists of Australia, from the circumstance of its being the
representative in that country of the Common Partridge of the British
Islands, so renowned for the goodness of its flesh, and for the healthy
pastime it annually affords during the shooting season to all who are
attached to and follow the sports of the field. Although much more
diminutive in size, the present species offers in many points of its
economy a great similarity to its antipodean ally. I believe that
several species of this intermediate form exist in Australia; if,
however, my surmise should prove to be incorrect, and it should be found
that the Partridges over all parts of the country are merely varieties
of each other, then it may be stated that the present species is an
inhabitant of every known part of Australia, the north coast even not
being without its presence; but if, on the other hand, it should be
discovered that they are several distinct species, then the habitat of
the present bird will be restricted to New South Wales, South Australia
and Van Diemen’s Land, over the whole of which countries it is
plentifully dispersed; the localities most suited to its habits being
thick grassy flats and humid spots overgrown with herbage, by the sides
of rivers and water-holes. Its call is very similar to that of the
Common Partridge, and like that bird it is found in coveys of from ten
to eighteen in number, which simultaneously rise from the ground and
pitch again within a hundred yards of the spot whence they rose. It sits
so close, that it will often admit of being nearly trodden upon before
it will rise. Pointers stand readily to it, and it offers perhaps better
sport to the sportsman than any other bird inhabiting Australia. Its
weight is about four ounces and three quarters, and its flesh is
delicious.
The Australian Partridge breeds on the ground, where it constructs a
slight nest of grass and leaves; the eggs, which are of large size, and
from ten to eighteen in number, are sometimes uniform bluish white, at
others minutely freckled all over with buff.
The sexes differ but little in their colouring, neither do the young
birds from the adult, except that the markings are somewhat broader and
more distinct.
Forehead, space between the bill and the eye, and the throat greyish
white, with a tinge of buff; all the upper surface irregularly marked
with beautiful transverse bars of grey, black and chestnut, each feather
on the back having a fine stripe down the centre; shoulders greyish
brown, the remainder of the wing marked with obscure transverse lines of
grey, brown and black; primaries brown, mottled on the external edges
with greyish brown; all the under surface buffy grey, each feather
having numerous zigzag markings of black, and many of them having a very
fine line of white down the centre; bill blue, deepening into black at
the tip; irides orange; feet dull yellow.
The figures are of the natural size.
[Illustration:
SYNOÏCUS DIEMENENSIS: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H.C. Richter del et lith._ _Hullmandel & Walton Imp._
]
SYNOÏCUS DIEMENENSIS, _Gould_.
Van Diemen’s Land Partridge.
_Synoïcus Diemenensis_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., March, 1847.
_Greater Brown Quail_ of the Colonists.
During my visit to Van Diemen’s Land I was frequently informed that
there were two kinds of Quail besides the stubble and painted Quails,
the former of which is a true _Coturnix_ and the latter a _Hemipodius_,
while the two birds referred to belong to neither of those genera, but
to that of _Synoïcus_. They are distinguished as the greater and lesser
Brown Quail, and sometimes the name of Partridge was given to the bird
here figured, doubtless from its going in coveys and resembling the
Common Partridge of Europe in many of its actions: I failed in my
endeavours to obtain examples, but I was fortunate enough to procure its
nest and eggs, which differed so much from those of the common species
as to convince me that they had been laid by a different bird: on a late
visit to Paris, I found at the house of M. Verreaux several specimens of
the bird itself, which had been sent to him by his brother direct from
Van Diemen’s Land, and which being placed at my disposal enable me to
give figures of both species. It is fully a third larger in size than
the _S. Australis_, and has the markings of the upper surface more
numerous and varied; the situations it affects appear to be low marshy
grounds covered with dense masses of herbage. The eggs I procured were
found in the swamps immediately below New Norfolk; they are more green
than those of _S. Australis_, are sprinkled all over with minute spots
of brown, and are from twelve to eighteen in number, one inch and
seven-sixteenths long by one inch and an eighth broad. I feel more than
ever convinced, that the birds of the form to which the generic term
_Synoïcus_ has been applied, constitute many more species than has
hitherto been supposed.
Forehead, lores and chin greyish white tinged with buff; crown of the
head dark brown, with a line of buff down the centre; all the upper
surface irregularly marked with beautiful transverse bars of grey, black
and chestnut, each feather with a fine stripe of greyish white down the
centre; primaries brown, mottled on their external edges with greyish
brown; all the under surface greyish buff, each feather with numerous
regular somewhat arrow-shaped marks of black, and many of them with a
very fine line of white down the centre; bill blue, deepening into black
at the tip; irides orange; feet dull yellow.
The Plate represents the two sexes rather less than the size of life.
[Illustration: