TALEGALLA LATHAMI. 133 



sufficient heat to be engendered, the eggs are de- 

 posited, not side by side, as is ordinarily the case, 

 but planted at the distance of nine or twelve 

 inches from each other, and buried at nearly an 

 arm's depth perfectly upright, with the large end 

 upwards ; they are covered over as they are laid, 

 and allowed to remain until hatched. Mr. Gould 

 was informed both by natives, and settlers living 

 near their haunts, that it is not an unusual event to 

 obtain nearly a bushel of eggs at one time from a 

 single heap. This fact would, perhaps, serve to 

 prove that more than one female deposits her eggs 

 in the same mound, as is the case with the Guinea 

 fowl, and the circumstance of the mound being 

 formed by several birds would corroborate this 

 supposition. Some of the natives state, that the 

 females are constantly in the neighbourhood of the 

 heap about the time the young are likely to be 

 hatched, and frequently uncover and cover them 

 up again, apparently for the purpose of assisting 

 those that may have appeared, while others state 

 that the eggs are merely deposited, and the young 

 allowed to force their way unassisted. The up- 

 right position of the eggs tends to strengthen the 

 opinion, that they are never disturbed after being 

 deposited, as it is well known that the eggs of 

 birds which are placed horizontally, are frequently 

 turned during incubation. There seems to be 

 little doubt but that this very interesting bird 



