SHOOTING PARTY ON DUCHATEAU ISLES. 63 



The present species^ however, is six times larg-er 

 than the more common sort, some of which was 

 mixed up with it, their diameters, as ascertained by 

 Mr. Huxley, being- respectively ^^ and ^^ of an 



inch. 



To-day we stood in for the Duch^teau Isles, and, 

 rounding- them to the westward, anchored in the 

 afternoon in seventeen fathoms, with the central 

 island bearing- south, distant one mile. 



Jan. 7th. — Along- with a shooting- part}'- 1 landed 

 soon after daylig-ht on the westernmost Duchateau 

 Island. Numbers of Nicobar pigeons left the 

 island as we approached, having- apparently used it 

 merely as a roosting- place. Heavy showers and 

 thunder clouds passed over at intervals during- the 

 whole morning-, rendering our shooting- not quite so 

 successful as it might have been ; still we pro- 

 cured about fifty pig-eons and a few of Duperrey's 

 meg-apodius. In habits tliis last bird resembles the 

 Australian species, especially in constructing- enor- 

 mous mounds for the reception of its eg-g-s. Those 

 which I saw averag-ed five feet in heig-ht and fifteen 

 in diameter, and were composed of the sandy soil of 

 the neig-hbourhood, mixed up with rotten sticks and 

 leaves, but without any shells or coral. Some were 

 placed on the outer margin of the thickets close to 

 the beach, and others were scattered about more 

 inland. As several of these mounds shewed indica- 

 tions of having lately been opened by the birds, I 

 entertained hopes of being able to procure an egg. 



