270 INDIAN SPORTING BIRDS 



In this way an old mound may, although the Nicobarese say 

 it is all the work of one pair, attain a height of eight feet and a 

 circumference of sixty ; but the mound of this size recorded 

 by Davison as quoted by Hume was exceptional, and no doubt 

 old, as it had a good-sized tree grov/ing in it; about half the 

 above dimensions represent the usual size. 



In these mounds, at a depth of over a yard, the old bird 

 buries her eggs, which hatch in the damp warmth generated 

 by the decaying vegetation, aided no doubt by the lime in the 

 coral and shell-sand. At the same time, the eggs will hatch 

 when removed from the mound and left lying about anyhow ; 

 the young need no " mothering," but look after themselves 

 from the first, and might easily be taken for some funny sort 

 of quail. It is most likely that the old birds dig them out 

 when due to hatch, for burrowing up through several feet of 

 compost would be rather a heavy task even for a megapode chick, 

 and the brush-turkey, which frequently breeds in zoological 

 gardens, certainly digs the young out when due — in its case after 

 six weeks' incubation. 



The mound is thrown up at night — in fact, the bird is 

 nocturnal altogether, and does not leave the shelter of the jungle 

 in the day-time, while even at night it is the beach, and not the 

 grass-land inland of the jungle-belt which it frequents. Although 

 mostly a ground-bird, it often alights in a tree, and flies like 

 a jungle-fowl. Its note is also like the cackling of a hen. These 

 birds are a most valuable game-bird ; they are abundant, being 

 found often in flocks as well as pairs, give much the same sort of 

 sport as jungle-fowl, and are, according to Hume, who was very 

 critical about birds' table qualities, exceptionally good on the 

 table, being both fat and succulent. Their food appears to 

 be mostly animal, consisting of grubs and small snails ; in 

 captivity the young thrive on white ants. 



Since as many as twenty eggs can be taken out of a mound 

 and the young are easily reared, the Government should surely be 

 approached with a view to disseminating this valuable bird all over 

 our tropical islands where natural conditions are at all favourable. 



