other birds, and hatch them in the usual way ; 

 but act in this matter somewhat like turtles 

 do. About the beginning of Spring several 

 of the birds unite, and form a mound or heap, 

 by grasping in their feet the dead leaves, grass, 

 etc., for some distance round and then throwing 

 them backwards to one spot, till they com- 

 plete the mound. Then the female bird lays her 

 eggs at a depth of nearly three feet in this 

 strange nest, and there they are left covered 







up until they are hatched by the heat of the 

 decaying vegetable mass. The Native Pheas- 

 ant, which inhabits the plains of Australia, 

 builds a mound of sand mixed with leaves, 

 grass, etc., in which its eggs are hatched like 

 those of the Brush Turkey. 



