•358 gallin.t:. 



to a new locality in tlie underwood. Durino' the 

 mid-day sun they generally seek the shady branches 

 of trees for shelter from the heat, often uttering a 

 low clucking noise. They also dust themselves on 

 the ground, after the manner of other Gallinaceous 

 birds. Their food consists of seeds, berries, and 

 insects. The Australian species forms a remarkable 

 heap of decayed vegetables in a retired and shady 

 place. The vegetables are collected by their feet, 

 until they have formed a heap of sufficient size, by 

 completely destroying the plants growing in the 

 neighbourhood. After a certain time has been 

 allowed for the vegetables thus accumulated to en- 

 gender some degree of heat, several female birds 

 deposit their eggs in the mound at a little distance 

 from each other, and cover them to a depth of three 

 feet. They are placed perfectly straight, with the 

 large end upwards, and are thus left until they are 

 hatched by the artificial heat of this remarkable 

 hotbed. The young birds force their way out of the 

 mound, and at the moment of their escape, they are 

 completely clothed with feathers. The old birds 

 are said to frequent the vicinity of the nest at the 

 time when the young may be expected to appear, 

 and frequently to uncover the egg's and cover them 

 up again. This has been confirmed by the breeding 

 of a pair in the London Zoological Grardens ; the 

 male (not the female) being' assiduous in attending 

 to the eggs and assisting the young birds to make 

 their escape. 



The type of this sub -family is — 



The Wattled Talegallus {Talegallus Lathami). 



