OF VICTORIA. 20' 



the eggs of the top tier, the sand there not being set so 

 tightly, and being drier and running more freely, are able 

 to force their own way out, and, judging from the experi- 

 ments I have made, I should say tliis was usually the case. 

 On opening up the nest that had been wired in I found 

 that the sand had set rather tight, especially where the 

 eggs were, and this I should say fully accounted for the 

 young birds being unable to come out. 



" When the mound is opened up during the day and eggs 

 abstracted, the parent birds repair the mound shortly after 

 the intruder has gone away, showing that either one or 

 other of the birds generally remains in the neighbourhood. 



" When the young are hatched they are well able to take 

 care of themselves, being strong and well developed, and 

 their wing feathers sufficiently formed to enable them to 

 fly a short distance ; but they trust almost entirely to their 

 running and hiding to escape danger, and to catch a newly- 

 liatched young one in the scrub is no easy matter. The 

 parent birds seem to take very little notice of their young, 

 which lead an independent existence from their birth." 



Because of the peculiar habit the adults have of leaving 

 the nest, the generic name Lipoa has been applied. The 

 " little eyes " most likely refers to the plumage marks, 

 though they are not very definite. 



The judgment of my companion, Mr. Arthur B. Lord, in 

 making an exact photographic exposure while I arranged 

 other matters, has produced an excellent picture of the 

 nest. 



Nest. — A large mass of sand and leaves, with a diameter 

 of 13 feet and a height of 3 feet, approximately. 



Eggs. — Six to fifteen in a mound ; colour delicate pink to 

 brick-red. Length, 3 5 inches; breadth, 2-25 inches. 



