i86 Allen's naturalist's library. 



the world as best it can. This bird lays its eggs only at night, 

 and the only specimen I obtained here (the Island of Bourou) 

 was caught on the beach, at the mouth of its burrow, early 

 one morning. Its wing was broken and wounded at the outer 

 joint, as if it had been attacked by some small animal when 

 in its burrow, probably a rat." 



The same writer also remarks : " All these birds seem to 

 be semi-nocturnal, for their loud, wailing cries may be con- 

 stantly heard late into the night, and long before daybreak in 

 the morning." 



Eggs. — " Rusty-red ; very large for the size of the birds, 

 being generally 3 or 3)^ inches long by 2 or 2^^ wide." (A. 

 R. Wallace.) 



THE OCELLATED MEGAPODES. GENUS LIPOA. 



Leipoa^ Gould, P. Z. S, 1840, p. 126. 



Type, Z. ocel/ata, Gould. 



Easily distinguished from Megapodius and the other allied 

 forms by having the longer upper tail-coverts reaching to the 

 end of the tail. 



Feathers of the top of the head forming a short thick crest. 



Nostrils elongate ovals. 



First primary flight-feather intermediate in length between 

 the ninth and tenth ; fifth slightly the longest. 



Toil long and rounded, composed of sixteen feathers. 



Legs (metatarsi) and toes rather short; the former with a 

 double row of large hexagonal plates down the front. 



Only one species is known. 



I. THE OCELLATED MEGAPODE. LIPOA OCELLATA. 



Leipoa ocellata, Gould, P. Z. S. 1840, p. 126; id. B. Austr. v. 

 pt. I, pi. 78 (1840); North, Nests and Eggs Austr. B. 

 p. 281 (1889). 



