184 Lloyd's natural history. 



says that the bird lives in the scrubs in the centre of the island, 

 about a large lagoon of brackish water, which has the appear- 

 ance of being an extinct crater ; the birds lay their eggs on 

 one side only of this lagoon, where the soil is composed ot 

 sulphur-looking sand ; the eggs are deposited from one to two 

 feet beneath the surface. The locality frequented by these 

 birds is, on this island, under the protection of the king or 

 chief; and by his permission only can the birds or eggs be 

 procured. The number of eggs deposited in the mounds 

 varies, as the eggs are laid by different birds in succession ; 

 but as many as forty eggs are said to have been procured from 

 one mound. 



Mr. F. Hiibner also makes the following observations : — 

 " The breeding time of this species is not so confined to 

 certain months as has been noticed by Dr. Wallace in respect 

 of certain Malayan species. He gives as the season of incu- 

 bation August and September ; but of this bird I got fresh 

 eggs in October and November also, and, according to Captain 

 Nagel and the natives, eggs are to be found likewise in other 

 months. Immediately after leaving the eggs, the young birds 

 are not only able to run, but also to fly. The old birds are 

 excellent runners, but their flight is somewhat heavy, as in the 

 common fowl; wh2n alarmed they perch on trees. The 

 stomachs of those I shot were mostly filled with land-shells, 

 small crabs, and scolopendras, but i.i a few cases I found 

 seeds. . . . The male may be distinguished at once from 

 the female by its orange feet, which in the latter are yellow." 



Eggs.— Similar to those of the other species already described, 

 but more than usually pointed ovals, and rather smaller 

 Average measurements, 2-9 by 17 inches. 



THE PAINTED MEGAPODES. GENUS EULIPOA. 

 Eulipoa, Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 462 (1893). 

 Type, E. wallacii (Gray). 

 Like Megapodius^ but the secoidary quills are fjiuch shorter 

 than the primaries. 



