168 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALTST. [Oh. XI. 



The egg-heaps of that curious bird, the megapode (Mega- 

 podius Cumiugii), are not unfrequently found in the Labuan 

 jungle. These birds build mounds, in which they deposit 

 their eggs, several birds often uniting together to form a 

 joint nursery, in which as many as 50 or 60 eggs are accu- 

 mulated together and left to be hatched by the svm. This 

 species of megapode is somewhat less than a guinea-fowl ; 

 but its eggs are fully as large as those of a turkey— long, 

 and pointed at both ends, and of a brownish-buff colour. 

 The birds themselves are more fuUy developed on leaving 

 the shell than falls to the lot of most of the feathered tribes, 

 running freely about immediately upon their large, strong 

 feet, and capable of using their wings within a few hours 

 after birth. Eleven of their eggs were brought in by a Malay, 

 who had stumbled upon one of their mounds ; of them six 

 were perfectly fresh, while the remaining five were far ad- 

 vanced in incubation. Having placed them in a box for 

 safety, they were left tiU the following day, when I found one 

 hatched and fully feathered; but wishing to preserve the 

 remaining eggs, I pierced them and left them to the mercy 

 of the ants which freely roamed in and out the shell, but 

 vfithia 24 hours a second little megapode appeared, prema- 

 turely hatched, smaller, weaker, and lessfeatheredthanthefirst. 



The commonest of the lizards of this island, and indeed 

 of the whole region, is the little animal called Chick-chack 

 (Ptyodactylus gecko,) so named from the chirping noise it 

 makes from time to time, and wliich might at first be mis- 

 taken for the voice of a bird. They are perfectly harmless, and 

 often very familiar. They live in considerable numbers 

 within doors, concealing themselves upon the roofs, and 

 among the attaps, or palm-coverings, or crawling about upon 

 the walls and ceilir^s. I have counted as many as two 



