1861.] MR. G. R. GRAY ON THE MEGAPODES. 293 



several feet, according to the habits of the different species, that 

 the females of some species deposit their eggs, in the form of a circle 

 ^ {Talegallns, Leipoa), while others place them in an irregular manner 

 in separate excavations in different parts of the mound. The eggs 

 are deposited at about sunrise, one by one, at an interval of days be- 

 tween each, reopening the centre on each egg being placed therein, 

 and then covering it again, and returning each time to their usual 

 haunts in the thickets, &c., until all the eggs intended to be laid are 

 deposited. The centre is then completely covered in, and the mound 

 becomes elevated to the height of several feet with the remaining 

 earth or vegetable matter, assuming a conical or dome-shaped form ; 

 but the large mound has the top flattened for about 3 feet in dia- 

 meter. The heat that is engendered by the fermentation of the 

 vegetable matter is thus retained within the mass, and causes the 

 eggs to arrive at the period of maturity. 



It is thought that the bird allows the centre to be but slightly 

 covered during the period of laying — for two reasons : first, that it 

 may have the less to scratch away on each visit, and thus be enabled 

 more easily to deposit the egg ; secondly, that the eggs already laid 

 may be kept in a cool and certain temperature until all are deposited, 

 while, u,c the same time, the rain may more readily penetrate through 

 to the vegetable mass, which would hasten the rotting, and thereby 

 raise the necessary heat for the hatching against it is really required. 



The mode adopted by the Megapode of Banda {Megapodius am- 

 boinensis ?) diifers materially from that of the species above referred 

 to. It is stated that the eggs of this bird " occur isolated and dis- 

 persed here and there ; but each egg was carefully covered by a mass 

 of fragments of dry plants or leaves." 



Another remarkable difference is exhibited in the habits of the 

 small Celebean Megapode (Meffajwdius gilbertii). This species is 

 observed " to scratch out a hole in the rotten stump or root of a 

 fallen tree, and there bury its eggs;" but nothing is said about co- 

 vering them with vegetable debris or other matters, which we may, 

 however, suppose them to do, as is exemplified by the other species 

 of this singular family. 



There are other species whose habits are still more extraordinary 

 in the selection of places for the incubation of their eggs. 



One species {Megacephalon), which resides many miles away in 

 the inland forests, and others {Megapodius freycineti, M. cumingii, 

 M. nicobariensis), that live in the jungles not far removed from the 

 beach, seek daily in pairs (often thus congregating in flocks of 

 hundreds at the period of laying their eggs) the sea-beaches, where, 

 in a retired position in the masses of sand thrown up above high- 

 water mark, as well as near the neighbouring jungles, may he ob- 

 served a number of holes of various diameter scratched in the sand : 

 so rapidly do the birds throw up the sand, that it looks completely 

 like a foimtain during the operation. The holes are usually of the 

 depth of 18 inches to 2 feet ; in them it is thought that " a number 

 of hens " deposit in succession their eggs, upright in the sand, on the 

 side of the same hole at a distance of a few inches between each. 



