THE MEGAPODES, URUSH-TURKEYS, AND MALEOS. 1 63 



Rhyiichortyx ductus, Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. Urit. Mas. xxii. p. 

 444(1893). 



Adult.— Differs from R. spodioslethus in having the crown, 

 mantle, f/zd'j/, and sides of the breast deep rufous; the eyebrow- 

 stripes and sides of head dull olive-brown ; a white band from 

 the base of the upper mandible to the eye, and continued behind 

 the eye along the sides of the neck ; the chin and throat white; 

 and the rest of the undcr-parts white, barred with black, except 

 down the middle of the body. Total length, 7-5 inches ; wing, 

 4*6; tail, 17; tarsus, 1-3; middle toe and claw, 1-15. 



Range. — Central America ; Veragua. 



THE MEGAPODES, BRUSH-TURKEYS, AND 

 MALEOS. FAMILY MEGAPODHD^. 



Distinguished by having the hind toe or hallux on the same 

 level as the other toes, and its basal phalanx as long as that of 

 the third toe. 



The oil-gland at the base of the tail nude. 



Eggs deposited in the sand or in a mound raised by one or 

 more pairs of birds ; the young hatched fully feathered, with- 

 out the intervention of the parent bird, and able to fly almost 

 from birih. 



Dr. A. R. Wallace makes the following remarks on this in- 

 teresting group of birds : — 



"The very peculiar habits of the whole family of the Mega- 

 podiidce, departing widely from those of all other birds, may 

 also, I think, be shown to be almost the necessary results of 

 certain peculiarities of organisation. These peculiarities are 

 two— the size and the number of the eggs, and the nature of 

 the food on which these birds subsist. Each egg being so 

 large as to fill up the abdominal cavity and with difficulty 

 pass the walls of the pelvis, a considerable interval must elapse 

 before the succeeding ones can be matured. The number of 



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