284 
MEGAFODID.®. 
australis), I noticed on one occasion five birds arrive at this mound 
in company, they came very close to me, making a chuckling 
noise jerked out from their throat, and not unlike that of a 
domestic fowl when driven from its nest, but not so loud. Usually 
only a pair are met with together. Their lliglit is heavy, and 
they do not readily take wing, unless pursued by a dog, when 
they rise with a considerable flapping to the most convenient 
branch, where they are easily approached and shot. Their flesh 
is dark, rank, and tough. The young, about five inches in length, 
arc of a dull brown, ashy-brown on the sides of the face, neck, 
and mantle, and on the abdomen of a lighter ashy-brown, rufous- 
brown on the flanks, and brown washed with rufous on the breast; 
the back, rump, and tail of a rich rufous-brown, primaries dark 
brown, interseapular region and upper wing-coverts dark brown, 
tipped with light rufous, the secondaries and scapulars freckled, 
and margined on the outer web with light rufous, the outer series 
of secondary-coverts and outer scapulars barred and freckled with 
the same colour, iris dark brown, feet yellow. Total length 
5-5 inches, bill -45, wing 4-5, tarsus 1 inch, tail a tuft of down 
about 1 inch in length.” (Ramsay, P.Z.S., 1876, p. 118.) 
Eggs in form elongated ovals, being nearly equal at both ends, 
the normal colour when newly laid, being of a pale coffee-brown 
but after remaining in the mound a few days they become darker, 
and by the time they are partly incubated, the outer surface or 
epidermis of the shell easily chips off in places, revealing a snow- 
white surface underneath; the colouring matter can also be 
rubbed off when moisture is applied. 
Dimensions of six eggs taken at Cairns, are as follows :—length 
(A) 3-58x 2-07 inches ; (B) 3-55 x 2-05 inches; (C) 3-52 x 2-01 
inches; (D) 3-6x2-01 inches; (E) 3-58 x 2-05 inches; (F) 3-45 
x 2-0 inches. Specimens taken at Cape York in 1864 measure 
(A) 3-41 inches x 1-98 inch; (B) 3-45 x 2-01 inches. 
Jlab. Port Darwin and Port Essington, Gulf of Carpentaria, 
Cape York, Rockingham Bay, Port Denison. (Ramsay) 
