. Nests and eggs of birds found breeding in Australia and Tasmania . —New South Wales, \ictoria, South Australia, Central Australia, WesternAustralia. f |(^HE range of the Mallee-fowl, but more commonly called Mallee-hen, also the Lovvan J_ of the Wimmera District of North-western Victoria, and the Gnowof Western Australia, may be regarded as the southern half of the Australian Continent, omitting as a rule the coastal districts. As its vernacular name implies, it is an inhabitant of the dry inland scrubs of the Southern States, and isnever found in the rich and humidbrushes near the coast ; i
. Nests and eggs of birds found breeding in Australia and Tasmania . —New South Wales, \ictoria, South Australia, Central Australia, WesternAustralia. f |(^HE range of the Mallee-fowl, but more commonly called Mallee-hen, also the Lovvan J_ of the Wimmera District of North-western Victoria, and the Gnowof Western Australia, may be regarded as the southern half of the Australian Continent, omitting as a rule the coastal districts. As its vernacular name implies, it is an inhabitant of the dry inland scrubs of the Southern States, and isnever found in the rich and humidbrushes near the coast ; it alsooccurs throughout the inlandportions of New South Wales,North-western \ictoria. SouthAustralia, Central Australia andWestern Australia. Althoughnumerous throughout the Malleecountry, this bird, owing to itsshy disposition and wary nature,is seldom seen. In Eastern Aus-gs— tralia, however, of coniparativelyrecent years an inveterate foehas arisen in the form of theacclimatised , and it is onlya question of time when thetrackless Mallee will be invaded. MALLEE-FOWL. 10(1 by its ever increasing and advancing enemy, who will sweep this interesting bird out of existencein the more civilized parts. Its flesh is much prized as an article of food both by bushmen andaborigines. From stomachs examined, tlie food of this species consists principally of berries, seeds, anda limited number of insects. Like the Scrub Fowl of the northern and north-eastern coastalbrushes and scrubs, the eggs of the Mallee-fowl are not incubated in the usual manner of birds,but are hatched in a hot-bed of leaves and grass, covered with gravel and sand. .V hole isscratched in the sand, filled up, and raised into a pyramidal heap by the pair of birds, partly bytheir wings, but more with their powerful feet. In the centre of this dome-shaped mound an openingis made, wliich is filled up with grass, leaves and debris, in which the eggs are deposited on end,if the full complement is laid
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