This sketch represents a section through the mound in its undisturbed state; the pale tint indicates the portion of sand, the darker tint the leaves, &c. ] [Illustration: No. 3. This sketch shows a bird’s eye view of the mound as seen from above; the sand is supposed to have been so far thrown out as to leave the tops of the eggs exposed, and to show them standing upright in their relative positions. ] “One of the mounds of these birds which had been robbed of its eggs on the 11th November, some of which were quite fresh, had two fresh eggs laid in it on the 27th of the same month, and the birds were seen at the nest on the morning of the 28th, apparently for the purpose of laying, when the male bird was shot. “Sometimes several of these mounds are constructed close to one another. I found two within 200 or 300 yards, and have seen five within the distance of four or five miles. They were built in precisely the same situations that I have seen them in other parts of the continent, that is, in a sandy, scrubby country, the site of the mound being in some little open glade, in the very thickest part of the scrub. “The eggs are of a light pink, the colour being brightest and most uniform when freshly laid. As the time of hatching approaches, they become discoloured and marked in places with dark spots. The greatest length of these eggs is about 3‑6/10 inches. The greatest breadth of these eggs is about 2‑2/10 inches. Circumference in direction of length 10 inches. Circumference in direction of breadth 7‑2/10 inches. “The temperature of the nests I have examined has always been warm; not so much so, however, as I should have thought necessary for the purpose of hatching eggs. “There are two great peculiarities about these eggs; the first is, that both ends are of nearly the same size; which form is peculiarly adapted to the position in which they are always placed; the egg being compressed in every part as nearly as possible towards the axis, in which the centre of gravity lies, there is the least possible tendency to its equilibrium being destroyed when it is placed in a vertical position. A second peculiarity is the extreme thinness of the shell, and its consequent fragility. This is so great, that unless the egg is handled with the greatest care, it is sure to be broken, and every effort which has been made to hatch these eggs under domestic fowls has failed, the egg having in every instance been broken by the bird under which it was placed. “The native name for the bird on the Murray River is _Marrak-ko_ or _Marra-ko_; in Western Australia the name of the bird is _Ngow-o_ or _Ngow_. The name in Western Australia is given from the tuft on its head, _Ngoweer_ meaning a tuft of feathers.