228 Howe, In the Mallee. \ .E"?" ., 



^ ' Li^t April 



The Victorian Government has been boring for water in this 

 district for over a year, with much success, thirteen windmills 

 having been erected, the first at Carina, near the South Aus- 

 tralian border, and the last three miles east of Kow Plains. 

 Bird-life was everywhere abundant, especially at these bores, 

 where the birds seemed to be concentrated. Close to No. 7 bore 

 nests of Ptilotis ornatns, Melithreptus gularis, and AcantJiiza 

 tiropygialis were found. The nest of the Melithreptus was then 

 ready for eggs ; it contained one o.^'g on 8th October, but when 

 examined again on the i ith October the egg was broken and 

 the nest all dishevelled. It would be tedious to give a detailed 

 account of each day's work, so I will take the birds observed 

 during the trip in the order of Mathews' " Handlist " : — 



1. Mallee-Fowl {JLipoa ocellata).—On Sunday, 3rd October, Mr. J. 

 Scarce, overseer of the boring party, who is also an enthusiastic 

 bird observer, piloted us to a nest of this species, about eight miles 

 out. The mound was cleverly heaped up and covered with sticks (time, 

 11.30 a.m.), and on being opened was found to contain three eggs. 

 This mound, Mr. Scarce informed us, was opened before by one of the 

 hands at the homestead, and four eggs extracted. As we passed the 

 spot again in the evening we noticed that the birds had repaired the 

 damage of the morning. A week later, we paid this mound another 

 visit ; scraping it out, we discovered two more eggs, one placed tightl)'- 

 into the vegetable matter at the edge of the chamber. Inserting a 

 thermometer, we quickly filled it in, and when withdrawn after 30 

 minutes it registered QO degrees exactly. As we passed in the evening 

 (7.15 o'clock) the bird, female presumably, was flushed from a mallee 

 bush a few feet from the mound ; rising above the scrub, it flew off in 

 a westerly direction. Mr. Scarce considered this mound to have the 

 highest temperature of any he has investigated, but he stated that 

 they varied with the weather conditions. A subsequent test gave 86 

 degrees. Three more eggs had been laid. Some authorities say that 

 the mound is always in the mallee scrub or where there is a fair 

 amount of shade. The following are the types of country in which 

 eight other mounds were situated : — No. i, in mallee, opening in scrub 

 south-west ; No. 2, in mallee, opening south and west ; No. 3, in 

 mallee, clear all round ; No. 4, in mallee, closed in all round ; No. 5, 

 in mallee, opening east and west ; No. 6, in thick porcupine, no mallee 

 anywhere near it ; No. 7, in mallee, opening in the east ; No. 8, closed 

 in all round. On 23rd October, three eggs in No. i ; temperature, 86 

 degrees. On 30th October, new nest, one egg ; temperature, 75 

 degrees. 



2. Stubble Quail {Cotumix pectovalis). — Noticed in the lussocky 

 grass at Tailem Bend. 



3. Bronze-wing (Phaps chalcoptera). — Numerous all through the 

 Mallee. 



4. Brush Bronze-wing {Phaps elegans). — Plentiful everywhere. 



5. Black-tailed Native-Hen {Microtribonyx ventralis). — Three or 

 four pairs were seen at Mumble (a fine sheet of water) and in the 

 tanks close by. Three or four old nests and one ready for eggs were 

 found in the " lignum." The nests were placed low down, and were 

 made of long strij^s of bark, lined with green or decayed grass. 



