MALLEE FOWL. 221 
tipped with whitish ; primaries blackish, paler on the outer webs, marbled towards 
the ends and margined with white at the tips ; secondaries blackish on the inner 
webs, irregularly barred with tawny, scimitar-shaped white and black marks on the 
outer webs ; the long inner secondaries vermiculated and barred with these colours 
on both webs ; the upper tail-coverts and middle tail-feathers are similar in colour 
to the secondaries ; remainder of tail blackish tipped with white ; cheeks, chin 
and upper throat ferruginous ; on the lower throat a patch of black feathers which 
are streaked with white down the middle, some fringed with white at the ends and 
the lateral ones with white outer webs ; sides of breast grey, barred with black, 
becoming paler on the sides of the body, and the dark bars broader and more pro- 
nounced ; middle of abdomen and vent silvery-white ; lower flanks, thighs and 
under tail-coverts buff, more deeply tinted on the latter, and with black shaft-streaks 
to the long under tail-coverts towards the base ; wing-coverts grey on the outer 
margins, some of the inner ones barred with ferruginous and black like the axillaries ; 
bill slate black; bare skin below the eye bluish-white ; remainder of bare skin 
round eye dusky-black ; iris light hazel; feet blue-grey. Total length 569 mm. ; 
culmen, from hinder point of nostril, 25, wing 345, tail 197, tarsus 75. 
Adult female—Similar to the male but distinguished by the marblings or 
vermiculations on the outer webs of the primaries, on their lower aspect. Total 
length about 565 mm.; wing 346, tarsus 71. 
Immature male (three-quarters grown).—Similar in every respect to the adult, 
but has the under wing-coverts and axillaries more rufous and the remains of 
mottlings on the outer webs of the primaries below. 
Immature female (of the same age).—Similar to the above. 
Immature (about half grown).—Under wing-coverts more numerously but 
faintly barred and less rufous; the mottlings on the under-surface are more 
pronounced. 
Chick.—The general colour of the dorsal surface of the downy plumage of the 
young bird shortly after leaving the mound is a mottled rufous-brown, whilst the 
ventral surface is an ashy cream-buff. The legs and feet are well developed and 
strong and the toesare provided with long and powerful claws capable of scratch- 
ing vigorously for food. The primaries and secondaries are fully developed and are 
of a brown colour, barred with white. The wing-coverts, which are of a downy 
nature, are brown, mottled with white. The downy feathers situate on the flanks 
and abdominal surface and throat are a creamy-buff. The lores, auriculars and 
fore-head feathers which are also downy are a brownish cream-buff. Crown, nape, 
back and rump feathers are a light-mottled brown washed with buff. The tail, 
which is downy, is a light brown barred with white on the dorsal surface, and is an 
inch long, whilst the ventral surface is somewhat lighter in colour. The breast, 
which has a mottled appearance and downy, is an ashy-buff, whilst the sides are 
somewhat similar in colour only possessing a barred appearance. Total length 
200 mm.; culmen 10, wing 100, tarsus 25. 
Nest.—A large conical-shaped heap or mound of sand, etc., covering a bed of 
leaves and other vegetable debris about 8 inches in thickness, usually situated in 
a water track in the dense scrub of sandy tracts, or in reddish ironstone gravel 
country, such as the Mallee, etc. Dimensions 10 to 12 feet in diameter at base, or 
a circumference 30 to 40 feet, and height 2 to 4 feet. 
Eggs.—Clutch, twelve to eighteen—other authors seven to eight; long oval in 
shape or elliptically inclined ; texture coarse, but shell exceedingly thin ; surface 
without gloss ; colour, when first laid, light pink or pinkish-buff, which on being 
scratched or removed shows a yellowish-buff ground ; this, in turn, as incubation 
proceeds, chips off in patches and reveals a whitish she!l. Dimensions 88-94 mm. 
by 57-60. 
Breeding-season.—September to February. 
