1 18 MR. E. P. RAMSAY ON THE BIRDS OF [Jan. 18, 



mound, and resorted to by several individuals. The eggs vary much 

 in size, and in shape from almost round to a long oval, or pointed at 

 the thin end ; their usual form is an oval slightly smaller at one end. 

 The shell is very thin, minutely granulated, and snow-vyhite in 

 colour. They are of a very delicate flavour, resembling in taste 

 those of the Plovers. 



190. MeGAPODIUS TUMULUS. 



This Mound-raiser is very plentiful north after passing Port 

 Denison ; I found it also in tolerable numbers as far south as the 

 Pioneer river. They are strictly confined to the dense scrubs, and 

 seldom, if ever, seen elsevehere. Their noisy cackling at night fre- 

 quently disturbed us when encamped near one of their favourite 

 resorts ; and during the day their hoarse note at once betrays their 

 presence. On the Herbert river they are not much sought after as 

 an article of food either by the natives or whites ; for as their eggs 

 are esteemed a delicacy the birds themselves are not much molested. 

 I examined several nests in March ; and although it was not the 

 regular breeding-season, yet fresh eggs were obtained, and newly 

 hatched young were found singly here and there throughout the 

 denser parts of the brushes. Some of the mounds were very ruth- 

 lessly destroj'ed by the whites, and scattered over the ground. This, 

 however, did not cause the birds to forsake the place ; and out of one 

 large mound, which had been very roughly handled, two new ones 

 were formed, about 10 yards apart, on the base of the old one, which 

 was so matted and interlaced with roots from the neighbouring trees 

 that it appeared to me a marvel how the birds could burrow into it 

 the great length they did ; and having once laid their eggs there, 

 how ever the young birds found their way out through the maze of 

 roots is still a mystery. Once out, however, and their wings dry, 

 they are able to take care of thenjselves, but remain about the 

 mounds for a day or so, as if waiting for some of their companions ; 

 but in less than a week from the day they are hatched they may 

 frequently be seen at least a quarter of a mile away, and well able to 

 fly about. I met one little fellow, only 5* 5 inches in total length, fully 

 a mile away from the nearest mound ; he flew up and settled in a 

 tree, about 20 feet from the ground. The wings and feet were 

 remarkably developed for so small a bird, which could scarcely be 

 more than four weeks old. Upon more than one occasion I have 

 seen the birds busy at their mound, or feeding near it, but was 

 never so fortunate as to meet with them in the act of burrowing. 

 The largest mound I met with was about 50 feet in length, 10 in 

 height, and 14 feet in width at the base, 8 or 10 on the summit. It 

 seemed to be more like several mounds combined ; and certainly more 

 than two pairs of birds frequented it. While stationed gun in hand 

 watching for Cassowaries {Casuarius australis), I noticed on one occa- 

 sion five birds arrive at this mound in company ; they came very close 

 to me, making a chuckling noise jerked out from their throat, and not 

 unlike that of a domestic fowl when driven from its nest, but not so 

 loud. Usually only a pair are met with together. Their flight is 



