176 



ANATOMY OF CERTAIN MEGAPODES. 



INTRODUCTO'RY. 



It is unnecessary, I think, to commence a series of 

 papers on the Anatomy of the Megapodes by an 

 apology. That such a Series should seem to be neces- 

 sary is, perhaps, to be wondered at. the more so when 

 the special nature of this remarkable group of birds is 

 considered. Some work has indeed been done, but in 

 general it has been directed to special features to be 

 used for taxonomic purposes. Such notes are, there- 

 fore, scattered about in numerous papers on the 

 anatomy of birds, a good many of which, here in Tas- 

 mania, are Cjuite unavailable to me. When we consider 

 that even in the matter of the pterylosis of the group 

 probably the only complete account of any member is 

 contained in two papers — one b}- Garrod, on the ana- 

 tomy of " Megacephalon maleo," the other by Pycraft, 

 on the pterylosis of '* Megapodius pritchardi," we get 

 some idea of the necessity of a systematic investigation 

 of the group. 



My material consists of a number of specimens of 

 two genera, " Catheturus lathami " (the " Scrub- 

 Turkey "') and " Lipoa ocellata " (the " Mallee Fowl "). 



In the case of the latter I have not as much material 

 as could be desired, but any new facts noted with the 

 arrival of further specimens will be embodied in later 

 papers. In addition, I have a chick (12 days hatched) 

 of " Megapodius eremita," on the pterylosis of which I 

 make some notes, but which I have not dissected. 



I have to tender my sincerest thanks to Prof. W. A. 

 Haswell, of Sydney, without whose kindly advice and 

 assistance in obtaining literature this work could not 

 have been undertaken. 



The specimens were all obtained through the assist- 

 ance of the fund of the John Coutts Scholarship, of 

 Sydney University, of which for one year I was the 

 bolder. A single exception is the young specimen of 

 *' Megapodius eremita," obtained through the help of F. 

 Young, Esq., of the s.s. " Upolu," who brought it from 

 the Solomon Islands, preserved in diluted gin. I am 

 deeply indebted to him for the opportunity of examining 

 this valualile specimen. 



