180 LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY. 
Adult.—Allied to JZ. freycineti, but said to be distinguished 
by having the legs cherry-red. Total length, 14 inches; wing, 
8°5-9'5; tail, 2°7-3; tarsus, 25 2°8. I have not seen an 
example of this species. 
Range.—Mafoor, Misori, and Jobi Islands in Geelvink Bay, 
and Dorey, New Guinea. 
XIII, LAYARD’S ME3APODE. MEGAPODIUS LAYARDI. 
Megapodius braziert, Sclater, P. Z. S. 1869, p. 528 [founded ox, 
an egg from Banks I.]. 
Megapodius layardi, ‘Tristram. Ibis, 1879, p. 194; Ogilvie- 
Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 459 (1893). 
(Plate XXXV,) 
Adult Male and Female—Head and neck with the exception of 
the back of the head and nape a/most naked ; general plumage 
black, washed with grey, except the wings and rump, which have 
an olive tinge ; bell y paler than the breast. Legs yel/ow. ‘Total 
length, 17 inches ;.wing, 9°5 ; tail, 3°5 ; tarsus, 2° 9 
Range.—New Hebrides. 
Mr. Layard writes: —“ The native name is ‘Malou This bird | 
is getting very scarce in consequence of the rapid increase of 
pigs and tame cats that have taken to the bush. It is a very shy 
and wary bird, and is found only on the sides of deep, densely 
wooded ravines, where it scratches about among the rocks for 
the worms, small helices, and little hard seeds that form its 
food. The natives among the New Uebrides group tell me 
that in their islands the ‘Malou’ deposits its eggs in a hole 
scratched under a rotten fallen log in the forest, and then 
covers them up with leaves. ‘This account was confirmed by 
an intelligent missionary on the island of Sandwich, or Vate. 
While staying on Vate I offered a large reward in 
beads, tobacco, and tomahawks to any native who would con- 
duct me to a nest, so that I could get the eggs out with my . 
own hands. Just two days after I had left in the Dayspring for 
