182 LLOYD’S NATURAL HISTORY. 
down between their legs. I was delighted at getting sucha 
good look at so rare a bird, and tried to get both at one shot ; 
but I have been ‘sold’ too often by being too greedy, so 
knocked over the furthest one with a half-charge. The other 
one apparently vanished into thin air, as I saw nothing more 
of him. About a mile higher up the ravine I was startled by 
the hoarse cry of alarm, which appears to be the only sound 
these birds emit ; and I could just see the bird’s red head as 
he stared at me from behind a clump of rccks. I soon had 
the pleasure of handling him.” 
Eggs.—Similar to the eggs of AZ. nicobariensis, but, as a rule, 
rather longer and more pointed ovals. Average measurements, 
3:25 by 1.6 inches. 
XIV. THE PELEW MEGAPODE, MEGAPODIUS SENEX. 
Megapodius senex, Hartlaub, P. Z.S. 1867, p. 830; Finsch, 
J. Mus. Godeffr. iv. pt. vili. p. 29, pl. v. figs. 2-3 (1875). 
Megapodius laperousit, Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxii. 
p- 460 (1893) [part.; Pelew Is.] 
Adult.—General colour of plumage greyish-black, washed 
with dark olive-brown on the wings and deep reddish-brown 
on the rump; top of the head /vrench grey ; forehead, sides 
of the head, and throat similar, but thinly covered with feathers. 
Bill and legs yel/ow. Total length, 9°5 inches ; wing, 7 ; tail, 
2°3; tarsus, 2. 
Range.—Pelew Islands. 
Since writing on these birds in the ‘Catalogue of Birds,” 
Mr. Hartert has shown mea number of AZ. Zaperoustt from the 
Marianne Islands, in the Hon. Walter Rothschild’s collection, 
As he points out, Dr. Oustalet was evidently wrong in uniting 
this species with JZ sezex from the Pelew Islands, as the dif- 
ferences between them, though slight, appear to be constant. 
Eggs.—Like those of the other species. Measurements, 2°9 
by 1°38. 
