HYPOIVENIDIA. 205 



The Northern Territory of South Australia, having,' for some time now been Federal territory, 

 it will henceforth be referred to only as the Northern 'J'erritory. 



Stomachs of specimens exainined contained the remains of \-arious kinds of insects, also 

 small fresh water molluscs, mixed with some ve;,'etable matter, probably the ends of succulent 

 plants, vegetable fibre and a little sand. 



While resident at Kipple Creek, Herbert River, North-eastern (jueensland, Mr. J. A. Boyd 

 sent the following note : — "On the 29th January, 1892, a Kanaka t^irl brous;ht me a nest and six 

 e^jgs of Hypot.rnidid pln'/ippt'iisis. I feared they were much incubated, and laid them on the table 

 while [ went to lunch. On my return two of the eggs had hatched, and the rest were cracked." 

 Mr. Boyd also informed me that while in Fiji he used frequently to find his fowl's eggs, in the 

 morning, broken in their nests, and the whites of the eggs abstracted. Baiting a wire trap, he 

 for three consecutive nights caught a Land Kail. 



From Copmanhurst, Upper Clarence River District, Mr. George Sa\idge wrote: — "The 

 Land Rail (Hypota-iiidia phtlij-faisis) is found throughout the Clarence I^iver w^atershed, in 

 places suitable to its habits. It usually frequents the margins of rivers and creeks ; also swampy 

 ground, and is particularly fond of the small springs that ooze out of the ground in places. I 

 believe it is a migratory species, although odd ones are found here all the year round. It was 

 particularly numerous in 1904; it could be found in nearly all places where there was 

 water. As a sporting bird it is not much sought after, as it does not rise readily, preferring to 

 elude the dog by running away. It is an edible species, and the flesh is \ery tender. I have 

 found its nest in September, and again as late as the end of January. Six eggs is the usual 

 number laid, but I have seen seven and eight." 



While resident at Mossgiel, Soutli-western New South Wales, the late Mr. K. H. Bennett 

 wrote as follows in 1S86: — " Hypot.niidia pliUippcinis is a spring and summer visitant to this 

 locality, but it is nowhere numerous. I have found as many as eleven eggs in one nest, and 

 how the bird could contrive to cover such a number is to me a puzzle. October and November 

 are the breeding months." 



From Melbourne Mr. G. A. Keartland sent me the following notes: — "The Land Rail 

 (Hypoiiniidia philippeusis) occurs practically all over Australia. These birds are generally found 

 in the vicinity of water, but wander amongst short grass when in quest of food, which consists of 

 seed, insects or soft vegetable matter. When roaming about this Rail has a peculiar habit of 

 constantly jerking its tail. It does not seem to be very sociable, as I have never tUished more 

 than one at a time, unless there h.ippened to be a brood of young ones. They are great 

 wanderers, and travel at night when moving from one district to another. During the night of 

 7th February, 1911, a number of these birds passed over North Melbourne, and next morning 

 about a dozen, either killed or injured, were picked up under the telegraph wires, against which 

 they had flown in the darkness. I have found Land Rails in almost every moist locality I have 

 visited during the spring and summer months, but they disappear during the winter. On two 

 occasions I have caught these birds in the streets of Melbourne, late at night. In each case the 

 Rail was seen to fly against an electric light, and after falling to the ground ran about lilce a rat 

 until caught. In captivity they thrive on meat and canary seed, but are quarrelsome if several 

 are placed in the same aviary." 



Mr. Joseph Gabriel wrote me from Abbotsford, X'ictoria, under date 4th August, 1904 : — 

 " I was out on the ist August to examine a Land Rail's nest, which had been found in a 

 crop about two hundred feet from the bank of the Yarra River, near Studley Park. I found 

 three of the seven eggs had just been hatched, so left them. W'e flushed four or five Rails, but 

 did not find any more nests." 



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