182 



THE SAVO MEGAPODE. 



eggs procured from Yanua Lava, Bank's Group, and was pro- 

 bably in error in identifying it with M. brencJileyi, G. R. Gray 

 procured during the voyage of H.M.S. Cur9oa not from Save 

 but from Ugi or Gulf Island, another of the Solomon Group, 

 but far distant, also that M. brenchleyi, and M. hrazieri, Sclater, 

 could not on reasonable grounds be considered as synonymous. 



Like the other Megapodes these birds frequent during the 

 day the wooded portions of the Island so that the number which 

 resort to the Savo settlement during the season or throughout 

 the year for the purpose of laying their eggs is difficult to 

 estimate, but that it amounts to several thousand I have no 

 reason for doubting. The proportion between the sexes too 

 cannot be arrived at, through they are probably monogamous, 

 as any distinguishing features which they may possess are very 

 obscure, and to an ordinary observer both sexes are alike in 

 habit and general plumage, and even the natives ludicrously 

 remark that all the birds lay. Though probably distributed 

 throughout the island at other seasons, when the eggs are to be 

 deposited the birds resort to a certain portion of the beach 

 which is here composed of a coarse grey sand 10 feet in depth. 

 As in the case of M. stairi, Gray (P.Z.S. 1861.) concerning 

 which F. Hiibner remarks (P.Z.S. 1877, p. 784 ) that the 

 breeding season is not confined to certain months, the Savo 

 Megapode seems to be laying from one end of the year to the 

 other though there are undoubtedly months in which the eggs 

 are more plentiful than in others. 



Though the generality of birds of this genus, like our 

 Australian species, build large and conspicuous mounds in 

 which their eggs are placed and whose large proportions formerly 

 suggested the inference to one of our early voyagers that they 

 were the veritable nests of the allegorical Roc. ; this bird on 

 the other hand, as is the case with M. wallacei, G. R. Gray, from 

 Bouru (P.Z.S., 1867) makes no mound whatever but is perhaps 

 careful to obliterate any signs of the more immediate neighbour- 

 hood of its eggs. 



Wherever the sand is easy to dig and possesses firmness 

 sufiBcient to prevent its " caving in " the birds burrow obliquely 

 downwards for three or four feet. Occasionally two birds are 

 engaged alternately at the same burrow, one after digging for 5 

 or 10 minutes giving place to another bird which goes quietly 

 to work whilst its comrade preens its feathers close by. Side 

 burrows lead from the main one, each of which receives a single 

 egg and is afterward filled up, when the main burrow is also 

 filled up. 



