1895.] The Birds cf New Guinea. ` 1061 
terminations of the tail feathers are a pure white. Everywhere 
else we find a uniformity of bronzy coloring, intense indeed 
with reflections, but without contrasts. 
Many of these pigeons, especially of the crowned species, are 
most delicious eating. The flesh surpasses in flavor, richness 
and other edible qualities that of almost all game birds. Ac- 
cording to the taste of some travellers turkeys, ducks, geese, 
all must hang their heads in the presence of Goura coronata. 
The Talegallus or Brush turkey is frequently seen in New 
Guinea, his mound being one of the characteristics features of 
the country. He is a small bird to accomplish such a task as 
gathering together in a compact mass, material—brush, dirt, 
leaves, etc.—in sufficient abundance to fill 20 or 30 large carts. 
No two travellers seem to make the same measurements. In 
this, which he treads down firm, the eggs are deposited and 
then left for the incubation the heat of decaying matter is sure 
to bring about. Several nests are placed in the same mound and 
do service for successive seasons. It is very much as if one of 
our barnyard fowls were transported into the depths of the 
forest, since the general aspect of the domestic hen and the 
wild bird is almost identical, and the cackling equally serious 
and obdurate. 
The muscular effort necessary to the heaping up of the 
mounds must of course be very great ; most of the work, if not 
all, is done by means of the foot, which is of large size and 
terminates a long, stout leg. While the bird stands on one 
foot, with the other he grasps the materials to be used and 
thrusts or kicks them, back to the place he wishes. In this 
way the huge nest is gradually formed until it becomes a very 
respectable hillock in its dimensions, in some instances 20 to 
30 feet through and 15 in height; all this is accomplished by 
birds (several combining together to perform the task) searcely 
larger than a barnyard fowl. This Megapode (not using the 
term in its strict scientific limitation) is not addicted to flight 
nor are its wings of sufficient strength to keep it long in the 
air even were the bird disposed to entrust itself to that element 
Accordingly when disturbed, if it takes to its wings at all, it is 
with hurried and laborious strokes usually terminating at 
