346 THE WATTLED TALEGALLA. 



" Before I left New South Wales, Mr. MacLeay's bird had 

 met with an untimely end by falling into a tank or water-butt, 

 occasioned, it was conjectured, by seeing the reflection of its 

 own image in the water, and rushing forward to meet a 

 supposed antagonist. On dissection this individual was found 

 to be a male, thereby proving that the sexes are equally em- 

 ployed in forming the mound for the reception of the eggs. 



"After all the facts that have been stated, I trust it will be 

 evident that its natural situation is among the Rasores, and 

 that it forms one of a great family of birds peculiar to Aus- 

 tralia and the Indian islands, of which Megapodius forms a 

 part ; and in confirmation of this view I may add, that the 

 sternum has the two deep emarginations so truly character- 

 istic of the Gallinaceae ; at all events, it is in no way allied to 

 the Vulturidse, and is nearly as far removed from Menura. 



" The adults have the whole of the upper surface, wings and 

 tail, blackish brown ; the feathers of the under surface black- 

 ish brown at the base, becoming silvery grey at the tip ; skin 

 of the head and neck deep pink red, thinly sprinkled with 

 short hair-like blackish brown feathers ; wattle bright yellow, 

 tinged with red where it unites with the red of the neck ; bill 

 black ; irides and feet brown. 



"The female, which is about a fourth less than the male in 

 size, is so closely the same in color as to render a separate 

 description unnecessary. She also possesses the wattle } but 

 not to so great an extent." 



Closely related to the preceding species, but inhabiting a 

 very different locality, is the Ocellated Leipoa (Leipoa ocella- 

 ta)j or " Ngow-oo" of the aborigines. 



"The Ocellated Leipoa appears to be more peculiarly suited 

 for a plain and open country than for the tangled brush ; and 

 it is most curious to observe how beautifully the means em- 

 ployed by nature for the reproduction of the species is adapted 

 to the situations it is destined to inhabit. A sketch of its 

 economy, as far as it has yet been ascertained, has been sent 

 me, continues Mr. Gould, by Mr. John Gilbert, and is here 

 given in his own words : 



