Data 
No. 
657 
660 
No, in 
A. J. 
Campbell's No. of 
Book. Eggs. 
730 5 
736 I 
735 6 
557 2 
560 2 
THE JACKSONIAN OOLOGICAL COLLECTION. 
coated the capillary attraction is greater, and the colouring matter is more readily absorbed, than would 
be the case otherwise. Had nature allowed these eggs to be coloured specimens, the bird would not 
require to hide them each time she left the nest, and could therefore leave them uncovered, as all other 
swamp birds do, though they usually deposit coloured specimens. The eggs are always resting on a 
very wet nest, and most of the time, when the bird is absent, are covered with wet weeds; but they 
very soon become brown and stained. Always being in such a wet state, a person would naturally 
conclude that they would soon get cold and decomposed ; but nature has provided for this, for the eggs 
are thickly coated with lime when laid, and the moisture of the wet nest on the lime promotes sufficient 
heat to keep the eggs warm. 
HOARY-HEADED GREBB, 
Podicipes poliocephalus, J. and S. 
Set of 5 eggs, taken on a swamp near Benjeroop, Victoria, on 21st January, 1896, by G. W. Carter, 
but like those of the former species are nest stained, and of a brown colour. Specimen A. measures 
= 1°54 x 106. The Murray River swamps of Victoria seem to be the stronghold of this species. 
This egg shows the peculiar rough and limy nodules which often cover the surface of this Grebe’s 
eggs. It was taken in the Riverina district of New South Wales by F. Ricketson, during November, 
1goo, and measures = 1°50 x I‘ol. 
BLACK-THROATED GREBE, 
Podicipes nove hollandia, Stephens. 
(Known better as the “ Diver "’ or ‘t Babchick."’) 
Set of 6 eggs, which resemble those of the latter species, only they are smaller. Two of them 
are stained a deep brown, and the other four are of a dull white, being unusually clean, and were 
evidently the last laid. All were fresh, or nearly so. Taken on Caramana Swamp, near South Grafton, 
Clarence River, N.S.W., by Frank and Sid. W. Jackson, on the gth of November, 1898. While in our 
swamp canoe, “ The Podiceps,” exploring the lagoons of the Clarence River district, we have often 
found these eggs in their peculiar floating nests, which are very wet and shabby structures, in fact they 
were always wet, and even during heavy rain, when no birds were about, I have taken the eggs from 
the nest quite warm. No doubt the thickly lime-coated surface promotes sufficient heat in helping 
nature to keep the eggs warm, and more especially when the wet breast of the hen bird comes in 
contact with them. Specimen A. measures = 1°33 x t’or. 
MALLEE FOWL, 
Lipoa ocellata, Gould. 
Two eggs, taken from a mound or nest by T. A. Brittlebank, on the Pine Plains, Northern 
Mallee, Victoria, on the 9th of October, 1899. The eggs were fresh. Specimen B. is of a beautiful 
pinkish-buff. Like the Scrub Turkey, these birds deposit their eggs in a mound of leaves and sand, 
and cover them over, where they hatch from the natural heat. Specimen A. measures = 3°87 x 2°33. 
Specimen B. measures = 3°53 x 2°40. 
QUEENSLAND SCRUB FOWL, 
Megapodius duperreyt, Lesson. 
Pair of eggs, taken from a large mound by D. Le Souéf, in North Queensland, on the 12th of 
November, 1893. The temperature of the great mound in which this species deposits its eggs for 
hatching is 95°, being at a depth of from one and a half to three feet, where the eggs rest. Specimen 
A. measures = 3'50 x 2°15. Specimen B. measures = 3°28 x 2°17. 
152 
