ANDA3IAN AND mCOBAR ISLAND BIRDS— RICHMOND. 311 



ill most places, as the jungle is so dense. Afterwards, in the dense 

 forest in Katchal and in Great and Little Nicobar where the jungle is 

 more open, we easilj^ obtained all we wanted. 



At lirst we thought Megapodes delicious eating, but we soon got 

 tired of them. Their excrement is very foul, owing to their animal 

 (insect and land shell) diet. The eggs are excellent when fresh. 



A writer in the Government Gazette (of Port Blair) speaks of the 

 impending extermination of the Megapodes from the practice of the 

 natives rol)bing the nest mounds. There iy not the slightest danger 

 of this. Many of the mounds are in impenetrable j ungles. The natives 

 are but few and dying out rapidly in the southern and middle groups. 

 The coast people are well-nigh extinct in Great and Little Nicobar. 

 Even where the mounds are visited, all the eggs are not found, and 

 the mounds exist in hundreds. Even on Pilu Milu, a very small island 

 off Littl(> Nic<)})ar, there are plenty of Megapodes and mounds, and the 

 island IS and has always been inhabited." 



Twenty-five specimens, from various islands, show little variation, 

 in total length, males vary from 381 to 400 mm.; females from 371.5 

 to 109.5 mm.' Females weighed 30 ounces to 2i pounds (the latter 

 lieing the one 109.5 mm. in length). 



The fresh colors are noted as follows: "Eyelids red; sides of head 

 vermilion; skin of throat pale mauve pink; iris clear brown; liill 

 greenish horn; legs dull reddish, brown in front; soles dull ochra- 

 ceous, claws black." 



A female obtained on Tillanchong was "shot while digging a hole 

 for its Qgg in the nest mound. The mound was situated just within 

 the edge of the jungle by the seashore, and had several small cocoanut 

 trees growing upon it. The dimensions of the mound were 8 feet 

 high and 30 feet in diameter. It was composed almost entirely of 

 sand, few leaves apparently. This bird's mate»was shot a few moments 

 previously on top of the same mound. " The native name of the Mega- 

 pode is "Konguh." 



In addition to a good series of the birds, Dr. Al)))ott sent over 30 



eggs. 



Family TURNICID.E. 



TURNIX ALBIVENTRIS Hume. 



T^urvu--] alhl renins Himk, Stray Feathers, I, 1S7;^,, p. 310 (Port :srouat, 

 South Amlaiium). 

 " Common in Kamorta, in the open grass." 



One adult male, from the above island. " Feet pale yellow lirown; 

 bill dark horn brown, vellow at base beneath." Length, 158.5 mm. 



