^'ESrS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 705 



thermometer, indicated d3°-, being 20° hotter than the surrounding 

 atmosphere. The mound had apparently been robbed two or three 

 daj-s previously. Our selector friend had, three weeks earlier, abstrac- 

 ted fom- eggs from it, making the tliird successive season he had 

 collected eggs from the same mound. 



After " beating about the bush " a second nest was discovered. 

 Upon digging laboriously to its centre, we found revealed " nothing but 

 leaves." In a third moimd we were more successful. It contained 

 five eggs, fresh and beautiful. Its situation was similar to the first, 

 being in a slight indentation or gully on the side of a rise, and its 

 shape and dinumsions were also much on an equality. In removing 

 the sand, gi-cat caution had to be exercised for fear of fractm-ing the 

 shells, which are extremely fragile. It became intensely interesting, 

 after gi-ubbing away apace, to see the beautiful pink roimded apices 

 of the eggs peep out one by one above the dry and trickUng sand. 

 The safest method to remove an egg is to displace the sand imme- 

 diately round and about it till it gently overbalances. After removing 

 about a foot of sand, we came upon one egg, evidently the commence- 

 ment of a second tier, for directly imdemeath was the first tier of four 

 eggs. Tlien four inches of dry sand intervened, succeeded by a bed 

 about eight inches deep, of damp, humid leaves. A most unfortimate 

 accident happened to my thermometer, which was smashed through 

 coming into contact with sonic scrub. This was much to be regi'etted, 

 because I had no means of recording the temperature of the egg chamber 

 as a check against that in the first egg mound. 



The eggs were as usual of immense proportions (3f x 2§ inches) 

 compared with the size of the parent. The colour of the eggs differs, 

 from a most beautiful soft pinkish-blush to a darker colour of rich 

 pinkish-red, and, as incubation proceeds, the eggs become stained and 

 discoloured. When fresh, the eggs are excellent eating ; to this I bear 

 testimony, having had one fried for a breakfast. It was exceedingly 

 palatable, being rich and delicate, and not even as strongly flavoured 

 as a domestic Turkey's egg. Before being cooked it turned the scales 

 at six and a-half ounces. 



We got a glimpse of one bird as it ran along a survey line. They 

 are solitary and shy creatures. Persons who have heard its note say 

 it is most moiu-nful, sounding something like that of the Bronze-wing 

 Pigeon, but of course louder and more prolonged. The call may be 

 heard nearly a mile away. To produce the noise the bird has a 

 peculiar habit of placing its head between its legs, with the back of 

 the head almost touching the groiuid. 



Its food consists of insects, seeds, and bcnies, and tender shoots of 

 plants. It can subsist without water, but sometimes drinks when it 

 rains. 



Another himt after Mallee Hens occurred on the 25th October, 

 when we again visited the Lawloit Range, but many miles to the 

 northward of oiu- previous operations. We procured only two addi- 

 tional eggs, the birds as usual keeping out of sight. Nevertheless we 

 had an enjoyable scramble through the scrub. When evening came 

 we erected a comfortable mia-mia on the mallee fringe. Selecting a 

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