rilK TRUE MEGAPODES. 169 



two typical examples in the British Museum collection are 

 both males. 

 Range. — Tenimber Islands, Moluccas. 



III. CUMINr.'s MEGAPODE. MEGAPODIUS CUMINGI. 



Megapodius cumingii, Dillwyn, P. Z. S. 185 1, p. 118, pi. 39; 

 Motley and Dillwyn, Contr. N. H. Labuan, p. 32, pi. 7 

 (1855); Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 449 



(1893)- 



Megapodius gilbertii^ Gray, P. Z.S. 1861, p. 289. 



Megapodius lowi, Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1875, P- m- 



Megapodius pitsillus^ Tweedd. P. Z. S. 1877, p. 765, pi. ixxviii. 



(Juv.). 

 Megapodius dillwyni, Tweedd. P. Z. S. 1877, p. 766. 



Adult Male and Female. — Whole plumage darker than in M. 

 nicobarie?isis, especially the under-parts, which are dark grey. 

 The upper-parts vary considerably in different individuals, 

 some being olive-brown, others more or less washed with 

 rufous. Total length, 15 inches; wing, 9; tail, 3 ; tarsus, 27. 



Range. — Philippine Islands, extending south to Palawan and 

 the small islands off the north coast of Borneo ; also met with 

 in the Sula Islands, Celebes, and Tojian Islands. 



Habits. — INIessrs. Motley and Dillwyn give the following notes 

 on Cuming's Megapode : — "In Labuan they are not uncommon, 

 and are said to be principally confined to small islands, to such 

 more especially as have sandy beaches ; they are very rarely to 

 be seen, being extremely shy and frequenting dense and flat 

 parts of the jungle, where the ratans grow, and where the 

 luxuriance of the vegetation renders cencealment easy. The 

 Malays snare them by forming long thick fences in un- 

 frequented parts of the jungle, in which at certain intervals they 

 leave openings where they place traps ; the birds run through 

 the jungle in search of food, and coming to this fence, run 



