BY H. K, BENNETT, ESQ. 169 



loose pieces of earth amongst which thej were hatched that when 

 motionless they ai-e undistinguishable, still their slightest movement 

 would possibly attract the eye of some passing hawk or crow, and 

 to guard against this danger, the old birds conduct them as speedily 

 as possible to one of the numerous holes in the ground to be found 

 all over the plains (the mouth of some deserted burrow is a 

 favourite place) into this hole the young are led and there they 

 remain until they are able to fly. When the young are concealed 

 in one of these holes, one or both of the old birds may always be 

 seen close by and on the approach of danger I have frequently 

 seen both take refuge in the hole and on watching for a short 

 time have seen one or both come cautiously out again only to 

 disappear once more on noticing me. This bird is the only living 

 creature I know of, that seems to revel in the intense heat of mid- 

 summer in this locality for when every other living animal has 

 sought shelter from the withering mid-day sun, it may be observed 

 running briskly about on the bare red patches I have described, 

 when the surface of the ground is so hot that a man could scarcely 

 bear his hand on it, in fact the hotter the day the more this 

 feathered salamander seems to enjoy it. It however, requires a 

 good deal of water for it drinks several times during the day, and 

 oftsn travels many miles going to and returning from the tanks 

 containing water, and numbers can be obtained by waiting at the 

 water until they come to drink. 



These birds run with great rapidity when in quest of food, &c., 

 and suddenly pausing, the body undulates for some seconds as if 

 poised on delicate springs when the running is again resumed. Its 

 flight which appears somewhat laboured from the extreme length 

 of wing is nevertheless light and buoyant and is characterised by 

 the same erratic zig-zag motions so noticeable in the Eurostopodidm. 

 Its food consists of insects which are captured both on the ground 

 and on the wing, the bird sometimes running along the ground in 

 pursuit, and springing up to the height of a foot or moi-e as the 

 insect rises, occasionally towering to a considerable altitude as 

 some flying insect attracts its attention returning to the ground in 

 the skimming zig-zag manner before described. 



