much black and white on the head; and is uniform grey below, with black mid-throat and more or less ruddy sides. The throat is white in the male. The female of _T. melanogaster_ of East Australia has both throat and breast black, with white markings on the latter, the male reversing the colours. Other Australian forms are _T. varia_, with chestnut nuchal collar, black, white, and rufous upper, and grey and buff under parts; _T. castanonota_, with vinous red upper surface; _T. pyrrhothorax_, chiefly greyish above and rusty buff below; and _T. velox_, reddish-chestnut in colour with nearly white lower parts. In these four the sexes are alike. _T. leucogaster_ inhabits Central Australia. Fam. III. PEDIONOMIDAE.–_Pedionomus torquatus_ differs in {190}structure from _Turnix_ by the presence of a small hind-toe. The lax upper plumage is, in the female, reddish-brown with black barring and buff margins to the feathers, the lower parts being pale buff marked with black. A broad white collar spotted with black surrounds the neck, while a rust-coloured nape and chest distinguish the above sex from the male, where the collar is brown and buff. This curious bird, somewhat smaller than a Quail, inhabits grassy plains in Southern and Eastern Australia, preferring the wilder districts. The habits are much as in _Turnix_, but the nest seems never to be domed, the four eggs being of a light stone-colour, thickly freckled and blotched with brown and grey. [Illustration: FIG. 43.–"Plain-Wanderer." _Pedionomus torquatus._ × ½.]