BREEDING OF THE SCRUB TURKEY. 



251 



central being the longest, and averaging .3 mm. in length. These processes are 

 armed with a series of small incurved hooks irregularly disposed, and originating 

 liuin any side of the process; they are not disposed in parallel planes. A short 

 area at the base of the process is without hooks. 



Holotype in the Australian Museum (U. 708). 



Locality. Nepean River, N.S. Wales, opposite to Glenbrook Creek. 

 7. Habitat. 



The specimens were all found on the leaves of a weed ( Vallisneria spiralis). 

 The Nepean River is subject to considerable alteration, it being in a state of 

 Hood in the rainy season, and low and turbid in the dry season. The locality, 

 at the time of the year that these specimens were taken, is one receiving the full 

 strength of the sun for several hours of the day. 



8. Observations. 



The species is extraordinarily hardly, the first batch, which hail been carried 

 without water from Penrith to the Museum, quickly reviving on being placed m 

 an aquarium after this journey of over sixteen hours. They are not nervous, the 

 tentacles being retracted only when actually touched with a needle point; and they 

 are quickly everted again when the needle is withdrawn. 



NOTES I 1.\ THE BKEED1XU OF THE SCRUB TURKEY. 

 By A. S. Le Souef. 



During the present season, 1'J1L)-12U, seven Scrub Turkeys (Catheturm lath- 

 ami) were hatched in the aviaries at Taronga Park. Several birds were in the 

 enclosure, but in July one male took command, and drove the others away, and 

 started to rake over the ground for debris; several cartloads of leaves and garden 

 rubbish were supplied which he industriously collected into a large heap in one 

 corner of the enclosure, and by September a good heat had developed. In this 

 month, too, the wattles of the male developed and became very bright in colour. 

 The hen bird was not allowed to take any part in the preparation of the mound; 

 in fact, she was seldom allowed in the aviary at all. Being unpinioned, she could 

 escape, and spent most of her time in an adjoining shrubbery. The actual egg- 

 laying was not detected. Seven young birds were hatched from the mound, and 

 came out on the following dates: — December 2nd, Utk, 15th, 17th, 31st, January 

 bth, 9th. 



The first bird hatched flew out of the enclosure, over a fence 8 feet high, 

 when only out of the mound a few hours. It weighed four ounces when one day 

 old. 



When hatched, the birds were covered with downy feathers, but the primary 

 wing feathers were well developed. They grew very rapidly, and were quickly 

 covered with adult plumage. In two months' time they are practically indis- 

 tinguishable from the parent birds, except that they are about half the size. The 

 grey mottling on the breast may perhaps be a little brighter on the chick. 



During the whole of the incubation period the male bird was constant in his 

 attentions to the mound, opening it up in wet weather and heaping it up again 

 afterwards, but from the day that the last chick was hatched he ceased to take any 

 further interest in it. For a month previous to this his neck wattle had been 

 getting less in size, and by the middle of January he was scarcely distinguishable 

 from the female. 



