136 MOUNDS FORMED FOR 



I am indebted to Mr. Gould for a description 

 of the two birds abovementioned, but he has 

 introduced a third of the same family still more 

 interesting, called the " Mound raising Megapode.' 5 

 (Megapodius tumulus). The account is taken 

 from Mr. Gilbert's notes, which were commu- 

 nicated to Mr. Gould. 



On Mr. Gilbert's arriving at Port Essington, 

 his attention was attracted to numerous immense 

 mounds of earth, which the natives informed him 

 were made by the Jungle-fowl for the purpose of 

 hatching its eggs. Aware that the eggs of the Lei- 

 poa were hatched in a similar manner, he deter- 

 mined to ascertain all he possibly could on the sub- 

 ject, and having prociired the assistance of a very in- 

 telligent native, who was acquainted with the places 

 resorted to by the jungle-fowl, he proceeded to 

 Knocker's Bay, where he was informed a number of 

 these birds was always to be seen. On landing be- 

 side a thicket, he had not proceeded far from the 

 shore, before a mound of sand and shells, with a 

 slight mixture of black soil, was seen. The base 

 rested on a sandy beech, only a few feet above 

 high water-mark. It was enveloped in the large 

 yellow-blossomed hibiscus, was of a conical form, 

 twenty feet in circumference at the base, and 

 about five feet in height. On asking the native 

 what it was, he replied, it was the jungle-fowl's 

 house or nest. On scrambling up the sides of it, 



