172 FRANK SCHLEY'S PARTRIDGE AND PHEASANT SHOOTING. 



the oviduct were almost invariably pure white in color. In 

 one instance an egg taken from the oviduct of a female, 

 June 5, that had previously deposited eight eggs the same 

 season, was covered with coloring matter or marking so 

 soft as to adhere to the fingers when touched. After the 

 female has once begun to lay, Mr. Mac Farlane observed 

 that she deposits one egg each day until the whole num- 

 ber has been reached. This varies from eight to ten. 



The males were always observed in the immediate vi- 

 cinity of the nest, and began to assume their summer 

 moult about the 6th of June, most of their necks at that 

 time being already of a reddish-brown color. The nests 

 were always on the ground, and were mere depressions 

 lined with a few soft materials, generally leaves, occasion- 

 ally mingled with feathers, hay, etc., the feathers often 

 being their own. The same nest was often made use of in 

 successive seasons. Eggs were found as late as the 24th 

 of June, and the female is supposed to sit about three 

 weeks before hatching. Occasionally eggs were found 

 dropped on the bare ground without any signs of a nest. 

 In one instance the egg was pure white,, like one taken 

 from the oviduct. It was found lying on the bare ground, 

 without the least appearance of a nest in the vicinity. 



In one instance where a nest was met with, on the banks 

 of Swan River, by Mr. Mac Farlane's party, en route, tbe 

 female was almost trodden under foot before she fluttered 

 off, when she at once turned about to face her enemies, 

 spreading her wings and ruffling her feathers as if to at- 

 tack or frighten them away. In another case a nest con- 

 taining only one fresh egg, in which the female had but 

 just begun to deposit, was found as late as June 25th. 

 Other eggs found June 27th, contained very large embryos. 

 Another nest, examined a fortnight later, (July 10), had in 

 it ten perfectly fresh eggs. Mr. Mac Farlane inferred that 

 this nest had been robbed at an early period of the season. 

 This time she apparently made no attempt at another 

 laying. In several instances where both birds were pres- 

 ent near a nest that was taken, the male bird would make 



