680 



Birds of Celebes: Megapodidae. 



i-ectrices not yet developed; remiges large and powerful {(f, not more than two or 

 three days old, Kema, 12. Nov. 93: P. & F. Sarasin). The young are capable of flying 

 on leaving the egg. 

 Measurements. Wing 308 mm; tail 175; tarsus 84, mid. toe with claw 70; bill from nostril 28. 

 Skeleton (fi-om Oustalet XXV). 



100 mm 

 25 » 



Length of cranium . . . 

 Greatest breadth of cranium 

 Length of sternum . . . 

 Breadth of sternimi (middle) 

 Height of crista sterni . . 

 Length of coracoideum. . 

 Length of clavicula . . . 

 Length of scapula . . . 



95 

 50 

 37 

 64 

 61 

 81 



Length of himierus . 



83 mm 



Length of ulna 94 



Length of metacarpus ... 49 



Length of digitus principahs . 30 



Length of pelvis 104 



Length of femui* 87 



Length of tibia 128 



Length of metatarsus ... 83 



Eggs. 



"Dr. Platen sent me numerous eggs from the INIinahassa and confirms what has been 

 long known about the breeding-habits of the Megapodes. The eggs measure 100 — 

 104 X 60 — 61 mm and are flesh-coloux-, with darker clouds over the whole sm-face"' 

 (Nehrkorn MS.). 



Eemark. The unusually lengthy form of this and of other Megapodes' eggs appears to be 

 a condition necessary to the great development of the reniiges of the chick before 

 leaving the egg. 



Nest. A hole scratched three or four feet deep in the black volcanic sand of the sea-shore, 

 afterwards covered in with about one, two, thi'ee or more feet of sand (Wallace d 4, 

 Gruillemard 28); or, in the forests, in pit dug close to a hot-spring (P.&F. Sarasin 

 — see also below). 



Distribution. North Celebes: — Minahassa (Keinwardt a 2, Quoy & Gaimard b I, AVall. 

 6, etc.); Cape Flesko (P. & F. Sarasin 37, 38); Gorontalo Distr. — Bone Valley 

 (v. Eosenberg 21, P.&F. Sarasin 37,38); Bolontio fMeyer); Lembeh Id. (Nat. 

 Coll.); Paguatt (v. Rosenberg 24). Said to occur on Banka (Meyerj; Sangi. ') 



The Moleo, which is known only from the Northern Peninsula of Celebes 

 and some of the small islands in the north, is one of the most interesting and 

 characteristic types of the country. It is the sole representative of the genus 

 Meffacephaloi}, distinguishing itself from the other Megapode genera by the large 

 occipital casque and the two smaller knobs behind the nostrils with which the 

 naked head of the bird is furnished; its tarsus, also, is reticulated in front for 

 the upper two-thirds with small scales, and the feet are webbed at the base 

 almost up to the first joint of the toes. The light under surface, which is 

 richly tinted with salmon-colour in life — a colour which soon fades in skins 

 — ■ is also peculiar to the Moleo among the Megapodes. The forms with which 

 it seems to have most affinity are Talegallus and Aepi/podius, both of New Guinea 

 and some of the islands to the west. The typical Megapodes of the genus 

 Megapodius differ by their short tail of 12 feathers (in Megacephalon 18), their 



') Meyer's (i-J, 27) and Hiokson's (32) statements, that the Moleo occurs on the Sangi Islands, is due 

 to the fact, which has been ascei-tained on our suggestion by the Resident Jellesma of Manado, that birds 

 were introduced there by a Rajah years ago and multiplied lapidly in consequence of its being unlawful 

 to shoot them. But since this is no longer the case, the number has gradually decreased and now hardly any 

 are found there. 



