328 BRONZE WINGED PIGEONS. 



During this short excursion, a young black 

 was stung by a wasp, and although he no doubt 

 suffered severe pain, he yet disdained to utter a 

 cry or a groan ; he threw himself upon the 

 ground, and rolled about, but no sound escaped 

 his lips. 



The bronzed-winged pigeon, the '* Obun- 

 galong" in the aboriginal language, was abun- 

 dant at this season. It constructs, like the 

 pigeon tribe generally, a rude nest of sticks 

 upon the forked branches of a tree, and lays two 

 or more white eggs. 



There is a spider which I frequently observed 

 about Yas Plains, and also at other parts of the 

 colony, which forms a den in the ground ; the 

 opening is about an inch in diameter ; over this 

 a lid is formed of web, incorporated with earth, 

 and a web hinge, accurately filling the external 

 aperture, which the animal can shut at pleasure. 

 I have heard of a person who was accustomed to 

 feed one of these insects ; after feeding, it would 

 enter the habitation, and shut down the lid, by 

 drawing it close with one of its claws. It is 

 nearly impossible to discover their habitations 

 when the lid is closed, from its being so accurately 

 fitted to the aperture. 



