1^6 Macgillivray, Notes on Some N. Queensland Birds, [i^f ")"„ 



measured 30 feet in diameter at the base, 15 feet across the top, and 

 was 15 feet in height. The eggs, eight in number, were from 3 to 

 5 feet from the surface, one only in each pipe ; two were placed 

 vertically, the rest in a slanting position. Tliis mound was again 

 examined on the 27th February, 191 2 ; it again contained eight eggs, 

 and two birds were noted at the mound. On the 27th March, 1912, 

 it had been built up again, but contained only one egg. Two 

 distinct types of egg were obtained from this mound, as though laid 

 by different birds. These birds feed mostly on insects and snails. 



Catheturus purpureicoUis. Barnard Brush-Turkey. — They are 

 common in the Cape York scrubs, as are also their nesting-mounds. 

 These mounds are very much preyed upon by wild pigs and 

 " goannas," and great numbers of the eggs are in this way destroyed, 

 imposing a serious check on the natural increase of the bird. The 

 pig has been introduced by the white man, who is responsible for 

 the disappearance of the natural enemies of the lizard — the black- 

 fellow and the dingo. 



Mr. M'Lcnnan states : — " Several birds lay in one mound. I have 

 taken four distinct types of egg from the same mound. During the 

 breeding season, which commences with the advent of the first rains, 

 the wattle of the male becomes very much elongated ; it almost 

 touches the ground, being about 6 to 8 inches in length. I saw two 

 males chasing a female at the beginning of the season in 1910, and 

 have occasionally seen one male chasing another male, and when 

 this occurs they appear to be quite blind with fury, and run into logs 

 or the butts of trees. The call of the male is a loud grunting 

 ' Oom,' and one can always call them up by imitating it. I have 

 seen as many as seven feeding together before the breeding season. 

 They roost at night high up in the trees, those chosen being often 

 just outside the scrub or big trees in the scrub. They feed on the 

 grovmd, in the scrub mostly, but often in the open forest or at the 

 edge of the mangroves, sometimes feeding on fruit trees in scrub. 

 The nesting-mound is more loosely built than that of the Megapode, 

 and its temperature is regulated by heaping it up to keep the 

 moisture in when the weather is dry, or scratching it off to within a 

 few inches of the eggs when it is wet. 



"6th March, 1912. — Dug out a mound near Lockerbie. It con- 

 tained one young bird, not long hatched, as it had only worked up 

 3 inches from the shell. All the wing feathers were encased in sheaths, 

 and the bird was very weak in the legs. I put it in a box when I reached 

 the house, as I wanted to see how long it would take to get rid of the 

 sheathing on the wings. When found in the mound it was in a cir- 

 cular chamber, and seemed to be resting in it, as the floor was padded 

 down hard. It was about 2 feet from the surface, and would 

 probably have remained there until it got rid of the sheathing from 

 its feathers and got strong on its legs. The 2 feet of soil above it 

 was quite loose. 



" I had a look at the young Turkey as soon as I got up next 

 morning ; it was busily engaged in stripping the sheathing from its 

 feathers. At i p.m. it had all the sheathing off and was quite strong 

 on its legs, so I took it into the scrub and let it go ; it ran a few feet, 

 and then started to scratch and pick amongst the dead leaves and 

 mould. When I moved it darted away, and was soon out of sight. 



" The largest number of eggs found in one mound was on 23rd 

 February, 191 2 ; this, a large mound, 12 feet by 14 feet long and 



