64 HABITS OF DUPERREY's MEGAPODIUS. 



but after dig'g'ing- several pits three feet in depth^ 

 with no more efficient implements than my hands, 

 I had to give up the work from sheer exhaustion. 

 This bird is apparently very pug-nacious at times, 

 as I frequently saw them chasing* each other along* 

 the ground, running- with gTeat swiftness, and ut- 

 tering* their cry more loudly than usual, stopping- 

 short suddenly and ag-ain starting* off in pursuit. 

 The cry consists of one or two shrill notes, uttered 

 at intervals and endhig- in a hurried tremulous cr}^ 

 repeated five or six times. The noise made by this 

 meg-apodius while scratching- among- the dead leaves 

 for food may sometimes be imitated with such suc- 

 cess as to bring- the bird running- up within g'unshot- 

 When suddenl}^ forced to rise from the g-round it 

 flies up into a tree, and remains there motionless, 

 but exceeding-ly vig-ilant, ready to start on the ap- 

 proach of any one, but on other occasions it trusts 

 to its leg-s to escape. Its food is entirely procured 

 on the ground, and consists of insects and their 

 larvae (especially the pupge of ants), small snails, 

 and various fallen seeds and fruits. Although a 

 great number of the Nicobar pigeons had left, many 

 yet remained, and the whole island resounded with 

 their cry mixed up with the cooing* of the Nutmeg 

 pig'eon. Little skill is required in shooting these 

 birds, ibr they generally admit of very close ap- 

 proach, as if trusting- to the chance of being over- 

 looked amono^ the dense foliao-e. 



Jan, 8th. — During* the night a party of natives 



