322 HOMES WITHOUT HAJTDS. 



and the wummeraL, or throwing stick, by which it is hurled 

 with terrific force. The large wooden shield indicates also 

 that the natives in question consider themselves in danger of 

 hostile tribes. On the upper branches of a tree are seen a pair 

 of those wonderful kingfishers, popularly termed from their cry. 

 Laughing Jackasses, and in the centre of the illustration is seen 

 an old man crouched upon his knees, busily engaged in digging 

 from a large mound some eggs which are arranged nearly in a 

 circle, and are set perpendicularly with their larger end upwards, 

 as if they had been placed there by the Opposition party in 

 Idlliput. 



This mound is the work of an Australian bird popularly called 

 the Beush Turkey or Tallegalla. {Tallegalla Lathami), one 

 of a small series of birds which scrape together great heaps of 

 vegetable substances, and lay their eggs in t"hem so as to be 

 hatched by the heat given out during the process of fermentation. 

 A very brief account of these birds will be given, but we will at 

 present confine ourselves to the Tallegalla. 



This bird belongs to the order Gallinse and the family Mega- 

 podidae, or large-footed birds, the name being given to them on 

 account of the very great comparative size of the feet. It is a 

 native of New South Wales, and is generally found in the densest 

 bushes, through which it can make its way with such rapidity 

 that it can scarcely be captured. As the bird is called by many 

 names, I will mention one or two of them, so that the reader 

 may be better able to identify it while reading the accounts of 

 observant but unscientific travellers. The natives sometimes 

 call it Tallegalla, and sometimes Weelah ; and it is occasionally 

 named the New Holland Vulture, because the bare head and 

 neck give it a somewhat vulturine aspect. 



We will now proceed to the nest itself. 



This curious edifice is often of very great size, several cart- 

 loads of materials being used, and its dimensions enlarged from 

 year to year. In order to show the general appearance of the 

 nest, an example is shown in the background, with the bird 

 running over it. The mound is conical in shape, and, as may be 

 imagined from its enormous size, is the result of joint labour, 

 several hens uniting in its formation. The method by which it 

 is made is very curious, and Mr. Gould's account of the bird 

 has been fully corroborated by the habits of the birds in the 

 Zoological Gardens. 



