102 CONFESSIONS OF A BEACHCOMBER 



accumulate by kicking and scratching so great a quantity 

 of debris. The material was not available on the site, and 

 as the makers do not carry their rubbish, it was puzzling to 

 account for it all, until it was noticed that the junction of 

 two boulders with an inclination towards each other formed 

 a natural flume or shoot down which most of the material 

 of the mound had been sent. As the rains and use flatten 

 the apex fresh stuff is deposited with a trifling amount of 

 labour, to afford an illustration of "purposive conscious 

 action." 



The megapode seems to delight in flying in the face of 

 laws to which ordinary fowls are obedient. While making 

 a law unto herself for the incubation of eggs, she scandal- 

 ously violates that which provides that the size of the egg 

 shall be in proportion to the size of the bird. Though 

 much less in weight than an average domestic fowl, the egg 

 that she lays equals nearly three of the fowl's. Compari- 

 sons between the egg of the cassowary (one of the giants 

 among birds) and of the common fowl with that of the 

 megapode, are highly complimentary to the latter. A fair 

 weight for a full-grown cassowary is 1 50 lb., and the egg 

 weighs i lb. 6 oz. A good-conditioned megapode weighs 

 3 lb., the egg 5^ oz. ; ordinary domestic fowl, 4 lb., egg 2 oz. 

 The egg of the cassowary represents I per cent, of the 

 weight of the bird, the domestic fowl's 3^ per cent., and 

 that of megapode no less than 1 1 \ per cent, of its weight. 



When these facts are considered, we realise why the 

 horney head of the great cassowary, the layer of the largest 

 of Australian eggs, is carried so low as she bursts through 

 the jungle ; why the pair converse in such humble tones, 

 and why, on the other hand, the megapode exults so loudly, 

 so coarsely and in such shocking intervals, careless of the 

 sentiments and of the sense of melody of every other 

 bird. 



Though the powers of the flight of this bird are feeble, 

 it inhabits islands 3 and 4 miles further out to sea than 

 their most adjacent neighbours. The laboured way in 

 which a startled bird flies across the narrow expanse of my 



