THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST, 125 



collectors and of Mr. K. H. Bennett, member of the Linnean Society, 

 ISTew South Wales, together with observations and unpublished data 

 of my own. 



The Mallee Hen of the colonist, the Lowan of the Wimmera 

 aboriginal, and the Leipoa ocellata or Ocellated Leipoa of the 

 naturalist are synonymous names for the bird. 



The Leipoa resembles very much in shape and size our greyish 

 mottled domestic turkey, but slightly smaller, more compact and 

 stouter in the legs. It has no wattle about its head, but has a small 

 tuft of feathers falling gracefully back from the crown. The total 

 length is about two feet, including tail nine inches. 



They inhabit the Mallee or other dry arid scrub. At present 

 these birds are not found within hundreds of miles of Melbourne. I 

 saw eggs that were taken only recently (1879) in the vicinity of 

 Sandhurst, and others from a species of mallee scrub situated between 

 Melton and the Anakies. I could find no subsequent trace of either 

 birds or eggs, therefore I very much fear they were the last in their 

 respective districts. 



Their food consists of insects, seeds and berries and tender shoots 

 of plants. They can subsist without water, but sometimes drink 

 when it rains. Their disposition is shy and timid, consequently they 

 are seldom seen. They are solitary in their habits, uttering at times 

 mournful notes. 



Decidedly the most peculiar feature in the economy of the Leipoa 

 is that it does not incubate its eggs in the usual manner, but it 

 places them in large mounds of sand, three to four feet high, where 

 they are hatched by the action of the sun's rays, together with heat 

 engendered by decomposing vegetation placed underneath the sand 

 and eggs. 



In constructing a new nest or mound, a slight hollow, invariably a 

 water track or slight gully, is selected in dense scrub. The spot is 

 further hollowed or scooped out by the birds, and filled with dead 

 leaves and other vegetable matter. Then all is completely hidden in 

 sand which is scraped up for several yards round. 



The sand mounds are frequently replenished and used year after 

 year. Both birds (male and female) commt3nce to replenish their 

 old mound or construct a new one about June (Mr. Bennett states 

 October) although they do not commence to lay until September. 

 This I imagine they do in order to get the vegetable matter 

 thoroughly saturated by the winter and early spring rains. The 

 water would accumulate in the shallow coarsa or gully, thereby 

 running through and underneath the leaves. 



Two or three inches of dry loose sand are Ghr^)wn over the leaves, 

 then a tier or layer of four eggs (GoulJ staces eight) is deposited, 

 placed perpendicularly on the smaller ends. The four eggs are in 

 the form of a square, four or five inches apart. An inch or two more 



