78 BE LLC H AMBERS— Notes on the Mallee Fowl. 



STOMACH CONTENTS. 



1. Two weed fish. 



2. Eight small crabs. 



3. Remains of small fish. 



4. Small fish. 



5. One brown weed fish. 



In the stomachs of the 17 specimens examined, one 

 example of a marketable species was found, viz.: a small flat- 

 head: unfortunately so much digested that the species could 

 not be determined. The so called trumpeter is not 

 the valuable edible fish of Tasmania and the Eastern States, 

 but a non-marketable fish bearing the same name locally. 



Notes on the Mallee Fowl (Leipoa ocellata 



rosinae). 



No. 2. 



By T. P. Bellchambers. 



Nesting seasons — 1916-17. 



Comparing incubation notes of season 1915-17 with the 

 previous season, a great difference is seen, which I believe to 

 be due to abnormal climatic conditions. During the last, 

 season, 1913-14, the birds commenced to lay August 19th; this 

 1916 17 season the first egg was laid August 15th; 1913-14 

 season 22 eggs were laid by December 12th; yet this year 23 

 eggs were laid up to the last week in January. In 1914 the 

 first chick was hatched on December 3rd ; in 1917 the first bird 

 was not hatched till February 12th. The season before five 

 eggs failed to hatch; while this season there were sixteen 

 failures amongst the earlier laid eggs; in 1914 eleven chicks 

 were hatched out of a possible fourteen; this year only seven 

 chicks came out, all very late in the season, 71 days later than 

 previous season. 



The incubation periods also show a very marked diffe- 

 rence, the longest period this season being 99 days, as com- 

 pared with 77 in 1914; the shortest being 62 days, compared 

 with 55 in 1914. 



The last five eggs laid failed probably owing to the low 

 temperature of the mound. 



