THE ADJUTANT 381 



birds is accounted for by the size of the shell, since in so large 

 a space it is reasonable to suppose that the young ones would 

 be much more developed than is usually found in eggs of 

 smaller dimensions. Other Australian birds, such as the Jungle- 

 fowl {Megapodius tumulus), Duperrey's Megapodius (if. Du- 

 perreyii), which inhabits the forests of New Gruinea, and the 

 Leipoas or native pheasants, construct similar mound-like nests. 

 Those of the jungle-fowl, observed at Port Essington, are 

 described as fifteen feet high, and sixty in circumference at the 

 base, and so enveloped in thickly foliaged trees as to preclude 

 the possibility of the sun's rays reaching any part of it. 



It is not to be wondered at that in the tropical world, where 

 lizards, snakes, and frogs attain such extraordinary dimensions, 

 the cranes or stork tribes, which chiefly live upon these reptiles, 

 should also grow to a more colossal size than their European 

 representatives. Thus, while torrid America boasts of the jabiru, 

 Africa and India possess the still larger Argala, or adjutant, whose 

 feeding exploits and ugliness have already been mentioned in the 

 chapter on Snakes. 



His beak, measuring sixteen inches in circumference at the 

 base, corresponds with his appetite. He is soon rendered 

 familiar with man, and when fish or other food is thrown to 

 him, he catches it very nimbly and immediately swallows it 

 entire. A young bird of this kind, about five feet in height, 

 was brought up tame and presented to a chief on the coast of 

 Gruinea, where Mr. Smeathman lived. It regularly attended the 

 hall at dinner-time, placing itself behind its master's chair, fre- 

 quently before any of the guests entered. The servants were 

 obliged to watch it carefully, and to defend the provisions by 

 beating it oif with sticks ; still it would frequently snatch off 

 something from the table, and one day purloined a whole 

 boiled fowl, which it swallowed in an instant. It used to fly 

 about the island, and roost very high among the silk-cotton 

 trees ; from this station, at the distance of two or three miles, it 

 could see when the dinner was carried acroes the court, when, 

 darting down, it would arrive early enough to enter with some 

 of those who carried in the dishes. Sometimes it would stand 

 in the room for half an hour after dinner, turning its head 



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