810 RECORDS OF THE ATJ8THALIAN MUSEUM. 



DESCRIPTION OF the EGGS of the KAGU, RHINOGHETUS 

 JUBATUS, VERREAUX et DES MURS. 



By Alfred J. North, C.M.Z.S., Ornithologist. 



(Plate 1.) 



Recently Mr. H. E. Finckh presented to the Trustees two 

 eggs of the Kagu that were laid in confinement at Mosman, 

 Sydney. Two of these birds, which he received from New 

 Caledonia over three years ago, started at the beginning of 

 April, 1902, to form a nest of dried twigs and leaves at the 

 bottom of a box in their aviary, and on the 6th April an 

 egg was laid. This was sat on for three weeks, one bird occasion- 

 ally relieving the other, from which Mr. Finckh concluded they 

 were a pair, but as there was no sign of a chick in the egg it was 

 removed. Another egg was deposited in a small wooden shelter- 

 house in their aviary on the 1st of May, twigs and leaves after- 

 wards being collected and placed around it ; the birds sat closer 

 on this egg, but without any success. A third egg was laid on 

 the 25th May, and sat upon for three weeks, but with a similar 

 result. One egg, presented, unblown, showed no trace of fertilisa- 

 tion; neither has Mr. Finckh noticed any actions of the birds, 

 which are alike in plumage, that would furnish undoubted proof 

 that they were male and female. 



Of their habits, Mr. Finckh writes: — "From personal observa- 

 tions of the two birds I have had in confinement for over three 

 years, the Kagu is fond of seclusion, but withal the one I regard 

 as the male shows fight at the slightest provocation. Holding 

 itself quite erect, with spread wings, pouting breast, raised crest, 

 and tail brought almost between its legs, the aspect of the bird 

 appears very stately when prepared to give battle. A peculiarity 

 shewn when fighting is that it only attacks its opponent low 

 down, so that when one holds a hand to the height of its body, it 

 misses aim, but if held near the ground it administers a severe 

 nip. When quarreling over a delicacy, the two birds peck at 

 each other's legs." 



One egg is oval, the other a blunt ended ellipse in form, the 

 shell being close-grained, smooth, and slightly lustrous. Before 

 they were emptied of their contents, their ground colour was of 

 a warm bufiy-brown, but now the shells are dry they are of a 

 uniform pale brown, over which is distributed small dots, blotches, 

 and broad, irregular-shaped longitudinal, and oblique streaks of 



