168 LLOYD’S NATURAL HISTORY. 
birds, and from them I learnt that they usually get four or five 
eggs from a mound, but sometimes they get as many as ten; 
they all assert that only one pair of birds are concerned in the 
making of a mound, and that they only work at night. When 
newly made, the mounds (so I was informed) are small, but 
are graduaily enlarged by the birds. . 
The eggs are usually buried from three-and-a-half to four 
feet deep, and how the young manage to extricate themselves 
from the superincumbent mass of soil and rubbish seems a 
mystery. I could not obtain any information from natives on 
this point, but most probably they are assisted by their parents, 
if not entirely freed by them, for these latter, so the natives 
affirm, are always to be found in the vicinity of the mounds 
where their eggs are deposited. 
“The surface soil of the mounds only is dry; at about a 
foot from the surface the sand feels slightly damp and cold, but 
as the depth increases the sand gets damper, but at the same 
time increases in warmth.” 
Eggs.—Very large elongate ovals, uniform in colour and of 
three distinct types, dull clayey-pink, earthy-yellow, and earthy- 
brown of several shades. Average measurements, 3°25 by 
2°07 inches. 
Il. TIE TENIMBER MEGAPODE. MEGAPODIUS 
TENIMBERENSIS. 
Megapodius tenimberensis, Sclater, P. Z. S. 1883, p. 57; Ogilvie- 
Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 448 (1893). 
Adult Male——Closely resembles AZ. nicobariensis, but may be 
recognised by having the outer webs of the outer primary 
quills pale brown , the upper part of the mantle may be very 
slightly washed with grey and the sides of the head, chin, and 
throat are more thickly covered with small feathers. ‘Total 
length, 14 inches ; wing, 9°6 ; tail, 3°5 ; tarsus, 2°90. 
The adult female is no doubt similar to the male, but the 
