168 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



distance above the joint, the Wanderer can run very fast for a 

 long distance, and only takes flight when suddenly startled or 

 hard pressed. They will often crouch before a dog and permit 

 themselves to be caught instead of retaining liberty by the aid 

 of their wings. They are solitary in their habits, seldom more 

 than one or two birds being found in a field. Whilst quail- 

 shooting with Mr. Henderson at Melton on 9th April, 1892, our 

 dog (which was a remarkably good worker) made a decided 

 " set," but before either of us got within shot he started 

 off for about twenty yards, and again " set." This was 

 repeated again and again until we had traversed the 

 greater part of a 50-acre paddock in a zig-zag fashion. At last 

 we saw a Wanderer running like a rat through the grass. 

 During the time occupied in following the dog we must have 

 walked nearly half a mile. The same tactics were followed for 

 about an hour, during which three more birds were shot. On 

 several other occasions I have known them to " lie close " when 

 "set" by the dog, and continue in that position until caught. 



The pair of live birds which I exhibited at the August meeting 

 of this Club were obtained in this manner. The male was caught 

 at Campbellfield on 22 nd May, and the female at Essendon on 

 2nd July. They soon became very tame, and took insects readily 

 from my hand. Although the female was the last caught, she 

 soon settled down to her altered circumstances, and assumed 

 control of the domestic arrangements. Whether she presumed 

 on her size is uncertain, but her partner had to take a back seat 

 when any dainty morsel was thrown to them. They thrive well 

 on canary seed, but are equally fond of worms, flies, or green 

 food, such as chickweed, thistles, or cress. Gould mentions that 

 those in the possession of Sir George Grey were fed on pounded 

 wheat, raw or boiled rice, and flies. 



Their times of nidification appear to be as varied as their menu. 

 Early in March of this year Mr. Dixon caught an adult male and 

 a half-grown young one. In June Mr. Coles took an egg from a 

 bird he was skinning, but a clutch of eggs in the possession of a 

 friend were taken in November. On 15 th August my birds showed 

 indications of breeding. The female simply scratched a slight 

 hollow in the litter on the floor of the aviary, in which she 

 deposited four eggs, somewhat resembling those of a plover. 

 Unfortunately, these were destroyed, and in about three weeks 

 she laid again, with the same result ; but this time the destroyer 

 was proved to be a Cockatoo Parrot, which was removed. When 

 about to lay the female squatted on the ground, elevated her 

 feathers, and, keeping her chest down, turned round many times, 

 during which she sustained a low, " cooing " noise, and on the 

 male approaching her at this time he was immediately chased 

 away. 



