CHAPTER II 



WONDERFUL BIRDS {continued) 



Frigate Bird. 



The Megapodes or Mound-builders — The Whale-headed Stork — The 

 Dodo and its kindred — Darters — Frigate Birds — Steamer-Ducks 

 — Penguins. 



To the Australian Region we turn for our next wonderful 

 bird and find it in the Brush Turkey {Catlietnriis lathanii). 

 This bird belongs to the family of Megapodes or Mound- 

 builders {Megapodidce), the species of which are found only 

 in the Australian and Malaj^an sub-regions, extending as 

 far as the Philippines, and the Nicobar Islands in the Bay 

 of Bengal. None of the true Megapodes make any nest, but 

 place their eggs in a mound and leave them to be hatched 

 by the fermentation of the latter or by the heat of the sun. 

 The}' differ from all other Game-birds except the Curassows 

 in having the hind toe on the same level as the other 



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