J^'JJ'l O'DONOGHUE, Rambles in Raak. 25 



the Desert Boronia, Boronia davellifolia, and the Golden 

 Pennants, Loudonia Behrii, were met with, but in every instance 

 these were long past the prime of flowering splendour. The 

 Sweet Appleberry, Billardiera cymosa, and the Large Dodder 

 Laurel, Cassytha meiantha, were much in evidence, the former 

 twining about the base of the eucalypti and the latter sprawling 

 over their tops. 



Making a short traverse to the west, we encountered a mound 

 of the Mallee-Fowl, and beside it an Qgg, much scratched, and 

 having a small hole in the side. As the mound showed no 

 signs of being disturbed by other than its maker, the egg may 

 have been accidentally broken by the bird in the course of one 

 of its periodic inspections, and then discarded. Opening up 

 the mound, we found it to contain but one egg. Later on 

 another mound was investigated, with similar result. 



Wandering haphazard through the mallee and spinifex, we 

 were fortunate in obtaining a glimpse of a Leipoa. The bird 

 was standing erect and motionless, listening attentively to 

 the noise we occasioned in our progress through the investing 

 vegetation. The moment it detected us, however, it wheeled 

 about, and, with lowered head, disappeared at a rapid run among 

 the spinifex and low mallee. Hastening forward, we discovered 

 its mound, and on opening it up found that it contained four 

 eggs. These were arranged in the form of a circle, the larger 

 end being upward, and projected slightly towards the centre 

 of the small circular excavation around and over which the 

 sand, bark, leaves, and twigs gathered by the bird were heaped. 

 So far as we could see from an inspection of these mounds, and 

 others subsequently met with, the bird was not actuated, as 

 has been alleged, by any motive in the selection of a site other 

 than expediency. Some were closely invested with Eucalyptus 

 incrassata, var. angulosa, and others were practically destitute 

 of cover. 



In the selection of the sites for the mounds examined by us, 

 the birds certainly gave no heed whether an opening occurred 

 or not in the surrounding vegetation to the north and east to 

 permit of the unimpeded rays of the sun falling on the mound. 

 Possibly they reaHzed, as we did, that the impediment offered 

 to the sun's rays by the foliage of the mallee, particularly 

 during the spring and summer months, is more imaginary than 

 real. In every instance the immediate vicinity of the mounds 

 presented a clean appearance by reason of the removal by the 

 bird of all leaves, twigs, and bark within a radius of twenty 

 feet or thereabouts. From the number of holes observed in 

 the sand at the base of the pines we assumed the birds spend 

 much of their leisure in sun-bathing. By this time the heat 

 and flies had become almost unbearable, and, to accentuate 



