GALLINACEOUS BIRDS. 273 



by cross-examination of several natives : — " There is only one male and one female to each mound ; 

 they repair an old mound, and do not build a new one; both assist in scratching the sand to the nest. 

 The female commences laying about the beginning of September, or when the spear-grass begins to 

 shoot. Both sexes approach the nest together when the female is about to lay, and they take an 

 equal share in the labour of covering and uncovering the mound. After every sunrise the female lays 

 an egg, and lays altogether from eight to ten. If the natives rob the mound, the female will lay again 

 in the same nest, but she will only lay the full number of eggs twice in one summer. From the 

 commencement of building until the last eggs are hatched, four moons elapse — this would give a very 

 long period of time before the eggs were hatched. The young one scratches its way out alone, the 

 mother does not assist it. They usually come out one at a time, occasionally a pair appear together. 

 The mother, who is feeding in the scrub in its vicinity, hears its call and runs to it; she then takes 

 care of the young one as a European Hen does of its chick. When all are hatched, the mother 

 is accompanied by eight or ten young ones, who remain with her until they are more than half grown. 

 The male bird does not accompany them. The two sexes have different calls, that of the female 

 is constantly uttered as she walks about the scrub with her young ones. 



" The natives frequently find the nest and eggs, but they seldom see the old birds, as they are 

 very timid and quick-sighted. They run very fast like the Emu, roost on trees, live for a long time 

 without water, but drink when it rains. The Ocellated Leipoa is a remarkably stout compact bird, 

 and appears when alive to have as large a body as the female Turkey, but it is shorter in the legs. 

 Mr. Schomburghk states that an egg he took home and placed under a Domestic Hen was hatched 

 the next day, and the young bird appeared covered with feathers, and capable of at once obtaining 

 its own food." 



The MEGAPODES (Megapodii) have a large slender body, moderate-sized neck, and large 

 head ; the broadly-rounded wing has the third, fourth, and fifth quills of equal length ; the tail, formed 

 of ten feathers, is short and rounded ; the tarsus very strong, and longer than the long, powerful 

 middle toe, which is armed like the rest wth a formidable and slightly-hooked claw. The straight 

 beak is usually shorter than the head, and vaulted towards its tip. The thick plumage is prolonged 

 upon the back of the head and the region of the eye ; a large portion of the head and the throat and 

 neck are always bare. We are indebted to Gould, Gilbert, and Macgillivray for full particulars 

 respecting the mode of life of the Megapodes. " The habits and economy of the birds comprised 

 in this family are," says Gould, " both curious and extraordinary, nor are they less singular in their 

 structure ; indeed, in my own opinion, no group of birds is more isolated. By one of our best 

 ornithologists one species has been classed with the Vultures, another placed it with Meleagres, and 

 a third authority considered it to be allied to the genus Ralles. From the colonists of Australia the 

 three species inhabiting that country have received the trivial names of Brush Turkey, Native 

 Pheasant, and Jungle Fowl, but to none of these birds are they in any way allied. In general 

 appearance the Megapodida offer a certain degree of alliance to the Gallinacea, but in the peculiar 

 shape, colouring, and odour of their eggs, and in the mode in which they are incubated, they are 

 totally different, and in some of these respects resemble the tortoises and turtles. Three species 

 belonging to different genera inhabit Australia ; others exist in New Guinea and the neighbouring 

 islands, and extend as far north as the Philippines." 



THE AUSTRALIAN MEGAPODE. 

 The Australian Megapode {Mcgapodiiis tianulus) is about the size of a female Pheasant. The 

 head of this species is dark reddish brown, the back and wing reddish brown, the upper and lower 



VOL. IIL — I Id. 



