Order  V.  GALLINJE. 
Family  II.  Megapodid^:. 
The  second  Subfamily, 
MEGAPODINiE,  or  Mound  Birds, 
have  the  Bill  moderate,  and  rather  weakened,  with  the  basal  portion  of  the  culmen  depressed,  and  the 
apical  part  rather  strong  and  slightly  vaulted ;  the  sides  compressed ;  and  the  gonys  curved  upwards  or 
slightly  ascending. 
Megapodius  Quoy  $  Gaim* 
Bill  moderate,  rather  weak,  straight,  and  broad  at  the  base,  with  the  basal  part  of  the  culmen  depressed 
and  weak,  the  apical  portion  strong  and  vaulted ;  the  sides  compressed  to  the  tip,  which  is  obtuse,  and  over- 
laps that  of  the  lower  mandible  ;  the  gonys  moderate  and  curved  upwards  ;  the  nostrils  lateral,  with  the 
opening  oval,  exposed,  and  placed  in  the  fore  part  of  the  membranous  groove.  Wings  ample  and 
rounded,  with  the  third  to  the  fifth  quills  nearly  equal  and  longest.  Tail  rather  short,  and  rounded. 
Tarsi  shorter  than  the  middle  toe,  very  strong,  and  covered  in  front  with  transverse  scales.  Toes  strong, 
lengthened  ;  the  lateral  ones  nearly  equal ;  the  inner  toe  united  at  the  base  by  a  membrane  ;  the  hind  toe 
long,  and  entirely  resting  on  the  ground ;  the  claws  very  long,  strong,  rather  dilated,  and  slightly 
curved. 
The  species  of  this  singular  genus  are  found  in  all  the  islands  of  the  eastern  archipelagoes  of  Asia  and  the  North- 
western parts  of  Australia.  They  are  exclusively  met  with  in  pairs  in  the  thick  woods  of  the  immediate  neighbourhood 
of  the  sea,  and  if  disturbed  very  quickly  hide  amongst  the  brushwood.  They  seek  their  food,  which  consists  of  fibrous 
roots,  seeds,  berries,  and  insects,  on  the  ground.  Their  flight  is  heavy,  and  when  disturbed  while  feeding  they  usually 
fly  to  a  tree ;  and  are  said,  on  alighting,  to  stretch  out  their  head  and  neck  in  a  straight  line  with  the  body,  remaining  in 
this  position  as  stationary  and  motionless  as  the  branch  upon  which  they  are  perched.  Some  species  deposit  their  eggs 
to  the  number  of  a  hundred  or  more  in  the  night  in  holes  on  the  sea  shore,  which  they  excavate  to  the  depth  of  two  or 
three  feet.  Other/s  deposit  their  eggs  in  immense  conical  mounds,  composed  of  sand  and  shells,  with  a  large  mixture  of 
black  soil  and  vegetable  matter,  the  base  generally  resting  on  the  sandy  beach,  within  a  few  feet  of  high-water  mark ; 
some  of  these  mounds  measure  from  twenty  to  sixty  feet  in  circumference,  and  from  five  to  fifteen  feet  in  height.  After 
*  Established  by  MM.  Quoy  and  Gaimard  in  1824  (Toy.  de  I'Uranie,  Zool.).    It  embraces  Alecthelia  of  M.  Lesson  (1S2C). 
