64 HABITS OF DUPERREY'S MEGAPODIUS. 



but after dig-^ng several pits three feet in depth, 

 with no more efficient implements than my hands, 

 I had to give up the work from sheer exhaustion. 

 This bird is apparently very pugnacious at times, 

 as I frequently saw them chasing each other along 

 the ground, running with great swiftness, and ut- 

 tering their cry more loudly than usual, stopping- 

 short suddenly and again starting oiF in pursuit. 

 The cry consists of one or two shrill notes, uttered 

 at intervals and ending in a hurried tremulous cry 

 repeated five or six times. The noise made by this 

 megapodius while scratching among the dead leaves 

 for food may sometimes be imitated with such suc- 

 cess as to bring the bird running up within gunshot. 

 When suddenly forced to rise from the ground it 

 flies up into a tree, and remains there motionless, 

 but exceedingly vigilant, ready to start on the ap- 

 proach of any one, but on other occasions it trusts 

 to its legs to escape. Its food is entirely procured 

 on the gi'ound, and consists of insects and their 

 larvae (especially the pupse of ants), small snails, 

 and various fallen seeds and fruits. Although a 

 great number of the Nicobar pigeons had left, many 

 yet remained, and the whole island resounded with 

 their cry mixed up with the cooing of the Nutmeg 

 pigeon. Little skill is required in shooting these 

 birds, for they generally admit of very close ap- 

 proach, as if trusting to the chance of being over- 

 looked among the dense foliage. 



Jan. 8^A.— During the night a party of natives 



