58 
Thf South Australian Naturalist. 
Mallee Fowl and Ducks. 
At the hen house the visitors were arrested by the large 
pie-shaped mound, its funnel-like hollow filled toa cosiderable 
depth with dry leaves, in which the mallee hen deposits its eggs. 
Here the keen observer and staunch friend of the native fauna 
described In clear and eloquent words, and with a remarkable 
wealth of detail the nest building and other habits of these, unique 
birds. All the heavy drudgery in the nursery and in other house- 
hold duties' falls to the lot of the patient male, while his bustling 
mate takes the air, and enjoys the scenery, warning him by a 
peculiar cry to have everything in apple-pie order when she returns 
Near the dam were observed thriving flocks of black swans, 
and of black ducks, and also a white or sacred ibis, the best 
friend of farmer and flock owner. The ducks are the descendants 
of a pair brought from the Murray some 20 years ago, and they 
number several hundreds. There are also a few Galway ducks 
,named after Sir Henry Gahvay. Talking about ducks, Mr. ilell- 
chambers pointed out the extreme folly, even from the sportsman’b 
and epicure’s point of view, of curtailing the close season for these 
birds — a measure which will inevitably lead to their complete ex- 
tinction, and so put an end to the so-called sport, and banish the 
dish from the table of the epicure. Such extermination of rare 
and beautiful creatures has happened in our own country, and 
an the United States of America, the Government of which is now 
offering £40,000 form single specimen of a pigeon that at one 
time flew in flocks of millions. Surely “a word to the wise” 
from a man like Mr. Bellchambers, who has made a life study 
of these creatures, ought to carry due weight with the powers 
that be. 
Twenty A^ears’ Work. 
The naturalist began his valuable scientific work more than 
20 years ago. He noticed that while much vms said and written 
about the preservation of our harmless and unique fauna, little 
was done to take practical steps in that direction. Accordingly, 
not asking help from Governmefit, or any one else, he took the 
task in hand. After a long search for a suitable spot he decided 
upon the rugged and comparatively inaccessible situation of his 
present sanctuary. It is secluded and out of the track of the or- 
dinary tourist. Here he has spared neither time nor labour to 
achieve his purpose, and, although a poor man, has spent con- 
siderable sums for little return, except the satisfaction of feeling 
that his labours will prove of great value to science, and to his 
adopted country, even from the commercial point of^view. Ail 
this has been done with little outside aid, and often in the face 
