some Oriental Birds. 411 



young bird cau take care of itself. If tlie young followed 

 the general rule, and resembled their mother in being of a 

 brown colour, the Mynahs might not feed them. The Mynah 

 breeds in holes of old rotten trees, sometimes using Wood- 

 peckers^ holes, making it more difficult to see the intruder 

 in the dark ; and no doubt, when the young bird emerges 

 into daylight, it would startle the old birds to see the young 

 Cuckoo of any other colour. 



One of the young Cuckoos was shot whilst being fed by 

 the foster-parents, and no doubt the young Cuckoo gets rid 

 of the nestling Mynah at an early period. Of course it 

 might be argued that it would not be necessary to deceive 

 the Mynah, for other birds take care of their parasites ; but 

 perhaps the Mynah has a greater knowledge of the world. 



3. Megapodius cumingi. 



On most of the small islands round the coast of Borneo 

 this Megapode, of which the native name is ' Menambun/ is 

 very plentiful. It never seems to care about going many 

 liundred yards inland, but prefers the loose sandy soil close 

 to the sea, where it can scratch up those huge mounds which 

 so often attract one^s attention when walking near the sea- 

 coast. 



Whilst in Palawan I had a good opportunity of watching 

 these birds, for they are very plentiful, and June to August 

 are their nesting-months. The old birds are difficult to see, 

 owing to their dull brown colour. They are very shy and 

 generally run off long before you are near them. Their note 

 is a most doleful '' Mow,^' exactly like a cat in distress, and 

 is heard many times towards evening, adding to the melan- 

 choly of the forest. 



Their nest is a most wonderful structure, and is no doubt 

 built by the labour of several pairs of birds. A Sulu boy 

 caught seven or eight birds on one heap. The largest nest I 

 have seen was 34 paces round and 5| feet high, and the heap 

 must have contained many cartloads of earth, sticks, and 

 stones, and yet the ground round about was apparently 

 untouched. How such a heap is brought together is a 

 mystery ; but it is no doubt the gradual work of many birds 



