186 LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY. 
the world as best it can. This bird lays its eggs only at night, 
and the only specimen I obtained here (the Island of Bourou) 
was caught on the beach, at the mouth of its burrow, early 
one morning. Its wing was broken and wounded at the outer 
joint, as if it had been attacked by some small animal when 
in its burrow, probably a rat.” 
The same writer also remarks: “ All these birds seem to 
be semi-nocturnal, for their loud, wailing cries may be con- 
stantly heard late into the night, and long before daybreak in 
the morning.” 
Eggs.—‘‘ Rusty-red ; very large for the size of the birds, 
being generally 3 or 3% inches long by 2 or 24 wide.” (4. 
k. Wallace.) 
THE OCELLATED MEGAPODES. GENUS LIPOA. 
Leipoa, Gould, P. Z. 5S. 1840, p. 126. 
Type, Z. ocellata, Gould. 
Easily distinguished from A/egafodius and the other allied 
forms by having the longer upper tail-coverts reaching to the 
end of the tail. 
Feathers of the top of the head forming a short thick crest. 
Nostrils elongate ovals. 
First. primary flight-feather intermediate in length between 
the ninth and tenth; fifth slightly the longest. 
Tail long and rounded, composed of szv¢cen feathers. 
Legs (metatarsi) and toes rather short; the former with a 
double row of large hexagonal plates down the front. 
Only one species is known. 
I. THE OCELLATED MEGAPODE. LIPOA OCELLATA. 
Leipoa ocellata, Gould, P. Z. S. 1840, p. 126- 1d. _B. Austr v. 
pt. 1, pl. 78 (1840); North, Nests and Eggs Austr. E. 
p- 281 (1889). 
