MALLEE FOWL. 
vGiit silvGry-wliitG lower flanks, tliij,Ji8 and under tail-coverts buff, more deeply 
tinted on the latter, and with black shaft-streaks to the long under tail-coverts towards 
the base ; wing-coverts grey on the outer margins, some of the inner ones barred with 
ferrugineous and black hke the axillaries ; “ Bill, slate black ; bare skin below the eye 
bluish white ; remainder of bare skin round eye dusky black ; iris light hazel ; feet, 
blue grey ” (Life). Total length, 569 mm. ; culmen from hinder point of nostril, 25 ; 
wing, 345 ; tail, 197 ; tarsus, 75. 
Adult female. Similar to the male, but distinguished by the marblings or vermiculations 
on the outer webs of the primaries, on their lower aspect. Total length, about 
565 mm. ; wing, 346 ; tarsus, 71. 
Immature male (three-quarters grown). Similar in every respect to the adult, but has the 
under wing-coverts and axillaries more rufous and the remains of mottlings on the 
outer webs of the primaries below. 
Immature female (of the same age). Similar to the above. 
Immature (about half-grown). Under wing-coverts more numerously but faintly barred 
and less rufous ; the mottlings on the under-surface are more pronounced. 
Chich. “ The general colour of the dorsal surface of the downy plumage of the young bird 
shortly after leaving the mound is a mottled rufous-brown, whilst the ventral surface 
is an ashy-cream-buff. The legs and feet are well developed and strong and the toes 
are provided with long and powerful claws capable of scratching vigorously for food. 
The primaries and secondaries are fully developed and are of a brown colour, barred 
with white. The wing-coverts, which are of a downy nature, are brown, mottled with 
white. The downy feathers situate on the flanks and abdominal surface and throat 
are a creamy-buff. The lores, auriculars and forehead feathers which are also downy 
are a brownish cream-buff. Crown, nape, back and rump feathers are alight-mottled 
brown washed with buff. The tail, which is downy, is a light brown barred with 
white on the dorsal surface, and is an inch long, whilst the ventral surface is some- 
what lighter in colour. The breast, which has a mottled appearance and downy, is 
an ashy-buff, whilst the sides are somewhat similar in colour only possessing a barred 
appearance. Total length, 200 mm. ; culmen, 10 ; wing, 100 ; tarsus, 25 ” 
(Mattingley ) . 
Nest. “ A large conical-shaped heap or mound of sand, etc., covering a bed of leaves and 
other vegetable debris about 8 inches in thickness, usually situated in a water track 
in the dense scrub of sandy tracts, or in reddish ironstone gravel country, such as the 
Mallee, etc. Dimensions, 10 to 12 feet in diameter at base, or a circumference 30 to 
40 feet, and height 2 to 4 feet ” (Campbell). 
Eggs. “ Clutch, twelve to eighteen — other authors seven to eight ; long oval in shape or 
elliptically inclined ; texture coarse, but shell exceedingly thin ; surface without 
gloss ; colour, when first laid, light pink or pinkish buff, which on being scratched or 
removed shows a yellowish-buff ground ; this, in turn, as incubation proceeds, chips 
off in patches and reveals a whitish shell. Dimensions in inches, 3.73 to 3.44 by 
2.35 to 2.26 ” (Campbell). 
Breeding season. October to February (Ramsay) ; September to December (Mattiiigley). 
Incubation-period. 42 to 45 days (Mattingley). 
Mr. Bennett gives the following notes on this bird in New South Wales : — 
“ About the month of October the birds (two only) commence (if new to 
construct — if old to repair) their huge mound nests. In the former case, they 
select a slight depression, such as where a stump has been burned out. This 
they fill with a mass of leaves, fragments of ‘porcupine grass,’ Mallee bark, 
etc., etc., and in doing this the whole surface of the surrounding ground for 
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