BUSH TURKEY. 323 



Tracing a circle of considerable radius, tlie birds begin to 

 travel round it, continually grasping with their large feet the 

 leaves, and grasses, and dead twigs which are lying about, and 

 flinging them inwards towards the centre. Each time that they 

 complete their rounds they narrow their circle, so that in a 

 short time they clear away a large circular belt, having in its 

 centre a low, irregular heap. By repeating the same process, 

 however, they decrease the diameter of the mound as they 

 increase its height, and at last a large and rudely conical mound 

 is formed. 



The next process is to scrape away the middle of the heap 

 until a cavity of nearly two feet is formed, in which the eggs are 

 carefully placed, being set in the peculiar manner which has also 

 been mentioned. They are then covered up, and are hatched by 

 the joint effects of fermentation and hot sunbeams. By adopting 

 this process the bird does not escape any of the cares of maternity, 

 for the male is very watchful over the eggs, being "gifted with a 

 wonderful instinct which tells him of the temperature which is 

 proper for them. Sometimes he covers them with a thick layer 

 of leaves, and sometimes he lays them nearly bare, these opera- 

 tions being repeated several times in a single day. 



At last the eggs are hatched, but when the young bird escapes 

 from the shell, it does not emerge from the mound, remaining 

 therein for at least twelve hours. Even after it has enjoyed the 

 open air it retires to the mound towards evening, and is covered 

 up like the eggs, only not to so great a depth. It is a remark- 

 able fact that in all cases a nearly cylindrical hole is preserved 

 in the middle of the mound, being evidently intended as a 

 chimney by which the heat may be moderated, and through which 

 gases produced by fermentation may escapa The reader wUl 

 probably call to mind that in a well-made haystack a central 

 aperture is preserved for exactly the same purpose, the modern 

 farmer having therefore been anticipated by a bird. 



A very great number of eggs are placed in the nest, a bushel 

 of eggs being sometimes taken out of a single mound. These eggs 

 are peculiarly well flavoured, and are equally sought by natives 

 and colonists. The TaUegalla has a habit of scratching large 

 holes in the ground while dusting itself after the manner of galli- 

 naceous birds, and these holes often serve to direct the experienced 

 hunter towards the nest itself. 



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