THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 129 



The eggs were of immense proportions compared with the size of 

 the parent. An average measurement gave 3| inches long by 

 2| inches broad. The color of the eggs in various mounds 

 differs, from a most beautiful soft pinkish-bluish, to a darker color 

 of rich pinkish-red. But all eggs in the same mound are of one 

 tint, except that as incubation proceeds they become stained and 

 discolored. When fresh, they are excellent eating, to this I can 

 bear testimony, having had one fried for a breakfast. It was 

 exceedingly palatable, being rich and delicate, and not strongly 

 flavoured like a domestic turkey's egg. It was a substantial meal, 

 for before it was cooked it turned the scales at six and a half ounces. 



These are all the mounds we visited that day. We only obtained 

 a glimpse of one bird as it ran along a survey line. 



On another occasion a party of us went out to a different locality 

 in the range and discovered two mounds, One was old and deserted, 

 while the other had evidently been robbed lately. Eeturning home 

 we had an opportunity of witnessing the curse of the Mallee — the 

 rabbit plague. In driving along a Mallee fringe, clothed with 

 Acacia scrub, the place was literally swarming alive, and it was 

 really astonishing to see hundreds upon hundreds like a wave pass 

 before us as we drove along. It wanted no effort to run over some 

 of the furry vermin in our conveyance. I heard of one poor 

 selector who put in about 60 acres of wheat, but the bunnies had 

 not left him enough to make a single sheaf. 



Our third and final attempt after Mallee hens, occurred on the 

 25th October, when we went again to the Lawloit range, but many 

 miles to the northward of our previous operations. We succeeded 

 in procuring only two additional eggs. The birds kept out of sight. 

 Nevertheless, our scramble was enjoyable, although I must confess 

 it fairly wound me up for the time being. 



On the Mallee fringe we soon erected a snug comfortable " Mia 

 Mia." Selecting a triangular clump of Mallee, we slung our 

 hammocks between the intervening stems, barricaded with thick 

 boughs the two weather sides, and on the third side, built a huge 

 fire. The buggy was drawn up, and the horse secured, so we were 

 all snug for the night. 



At early evening, the weather was rather foreboding, but as night 

 wore on, it cleared up, and in that transparent atmosphere the stars 

 shone out like so many moons. I have spent many nights camp- 

 ing out in the bush, but never spent such a quiet night — the solitude 

 of the Mallee was something intense, no howling of wild dogs, no 

 chirping of night insects, not even the familiar "mo-poke" of the owl 

 In the morning, the sun had risen upon us some time, before we 

 quitted our hammocks. After breakfast, we drove leisurely home, 

 much delighted and instructed with the night which we spent hung 

 between the Mallee trees. 



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