_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _Hullmandel & Walton Imp._
]
CINCLORAMPHUS CANTILLANS, _Gould_.
Black-breasted Cincloramphus.
_Cincloramphus cantatoris_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part X. p.
135.
_Ye-jȕl-lup_, Aborigines of the mountain districts of Western
Australia.
_Sky-Lark_ of the Colonists.
I consider it necessary to state that the figures in the accompanying
Plate are taken from specimens killed at Port Philip in South Australia,
and I have a specimen procured at Port Essington which is precisely
similar. They all differ from _C. cruralis_ in their smaller size and in
their darker colouring, a character which is confined to the male sex,
and which is, I believe, strictly a summer livery. At Swan River the
individuals are still smaller, and like the _C. cruralis_ are never so
black on the breast as the bird here figured; shall we not then be
justified in considering this again as distinct? The term _cantillans_
was applied to a specimen in the winter dress, when neither the breast
nor bill is black, otherwise a more appropriate appellation might have
been applied.
I possess no information respecting the habits of the Port Philip bird.
The following notes are from the pen of Mr. Gilbert, and are the result
of his observations of the bird in Western Australia:—
“This is a summer visitor to Western Australia, a remarkably shy and
wary species, and a most difficult bird to procure, from its generally
perching on a part of a tree whence it can command an uninterrupted view
all round, rarely admitting any one to approach it within gun-shot. On
being flushed from the ground it immediately takes to a tree, where,
with its tail erect, and its head stretched out to the full extent of
its neck, it presents a most grotesque appearance. It often ascends
perpendicularly to a considerable height in the air, and then floats
horizontally without any apparent motion of the wings to the distance of
three hundred yards. While flying it utters a most disagreeably harsh
and grating note, which is exchanged for an inward, rather plaintive
tone when perched among the branches. The nest, which is deposited in a
slight depression of the ground, is formed of dried grasses, and is so
loosely put together that it is extremely difficult to preserve it
entire; the eggs are four in number, and are similar to, but larger and
of a lighter colour than those of the _C. rufescens_.”
All the upper surface sandy brown, the centres of the feathers darker;
primaries and tail greyish brown, slightly margined with reddish brown;
immediately before the eye a triangular spot of brownish black; throat
and chest dull white, the latter with a stripe of brown down each
feather; under surface light brown; in the centre of the abdomen a patch
of dark brown, each feather margined with pale brown; bill and feet
fleshy brown.
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