712 



NESTS AND EGGS Of AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



as many as tliiity-six eggs iu two or three tiers, eighteen inches one from 

 another, nearly perpendicular,* the temperature of the mound being 

 ninety-six degrees. Such a nest, as I call it, is the common property 

 of tkree pairs of birds, as I have shot three male birds in close proximity 

 to a mound. The parent always keeps watch diuiug incubation, whicli 

 lasts an uncertain time, because such a heap contains young and fresh 

 eggs, with the rest at diflEerent stages between, at the same time. One 

 of the mothers goes with the hatched ones in tlie morning and 

 retmTis at night ; but the second day she keeps altogether away." 



The fact that Mr. Lau shot three male birds in the vicinity of a 

 mound does not quite prove the ownership thereof of tlu-ee pairs of birds. 

 However, Mr. Lau verifies his hypothesis by fui'ther mentioning he 

 entirely plundered the eggs of a certain mound in the Higbfield scrub. 

 Retm-ning in a week he found the mound restored and containing ten 

 fresh eggs, which number wo'uld be about the conxct total, presuming 

 three birds laid at an intei^val of three days each. 



The Talegallus commences to lay about the beginning of November. 

 Besides the moiuid wliich I examined in the " Big Scrub, containing 

 eight eggs, on the 1 Itli of that month, I obtained data of another mound 

 in the locality, which was visited on the 31st October, but contained no 

 eggs. On the 6th November it contained half a dozen eggs. Under 

 ordinary seasons probably the last eggs are hatched in Jauuaiy or 

 Februaiy. 



However, more inland, at Coomooboolaroo, the Messrs. BaaTiard have 

 foimd the seasons variable. On the coast, November is the usual 

 laying month ; in dry seasons the Talegallus does not lay at all. Once 

 there came rain in March ; the following month the birds commenced to 

 lay, laying right tlu'ough the winter to Christmas. The greatest number 

 of eggs to one mound at Coomooboolaroo was fifteen, or rather foiu-teen 

 eggs, and young newly-hatched — possibly the progeny of one pair 

 of birds only. 



Probably incubation, as is supposed in the case of the Mallee Hen, 

 lasts about six weeks. 



Mr. D. Le Souef, in his interesting account of his " Ascent of Mount 

 Peter Botte, North Queensland," read before the Field Natm-alists' Club 

 of Victona, 8tli Febniary, 1897, writes : " Merrgo, om- dog, found several 

 Scnib Turkeys or Talegalli for us, and wc passed two mounds. The 

 male bird seems to make their nesting mound entirely by himself, 

 jealously keeping the hens away, and if they attempt to scratch holes in 

 the mound before he considers it ready, he beats them off unmercifully. 

 The birds we saw at the mounds were males. They are generally in the 

 neighbourhood, and keep it in repair. Tliey have stronger legs and feet 

 than the hen birds. These actions I have noticed by ■watching the 

 birds in captivity. Tluir mounds are composed principally of leaves 

 and a few sticks, but very little soil — not more than would naturally 

 cling to the leaves as they were being gathered together. Sixteen eggs 

 seem to be the full clutch. Mr. Hislop infoiTned me that in dry weather 

 the eggs have a greater qiumtity of leaves over them than in wet." 



'1 presume Mr. Lau means one tier above another.— (A J.C ) 



