LOMBOCK, 



[cTiAP, j:. 



mountl-makeT (Megapodius gouldii), are also here first 

 nuit with on the travellers journey pajtward. The last- 

 mentioned bird requires a fuller notice 



The ilegapodidie are a small family of birds found only 

 m Aiistmlia and tlie surrounding islands, but extending as 

 fur as the Philiiipines and North-west Borneo, They are 

 allied to the gallinaceous birds, but differ from these and 

 from all othere in never sitting upon tbeir eggs, which they 

 bury in sand, earth, or rubbish, and leave to be hatched by 

 the heat of the sun or of fermentation. They are all 

 characterised by veiy large feet and long curved ckws, 

 and most of the species of Jfegapodius rake and scratch 

 together all kinds of rubbish, dead leaves, sticks, stones, 

 earth, rotten wood, &c., till they form a large mound, oft^n 

 six feet high and twelve feet across, in the middle of 

 which they bury their eggs. The natives can tell by the 

 condition of these mounds whether they contain eggs or 

 not ; and they rob them whenever they can, ns the brick-red 

 eizga (as large as those of a swan) are considered a great 

 delicacy. A number of birds are said to join in making 

 these mounds and lay their eggs together, so that some- 

 times forty or hfty may be found. Tlie mounds are to be 

 met vnth. here and there in dense thickets, and are great 

 puzxlos to strangers, who cannot undei-stand who can 

 possibly have heaped together cartloads of ntbbish in such 

 out-of-the-way places ; and when they inquire of the 

 natives they are liut little wiser, for it almost always 

 appeal^ to tliem the wildest romance to be told that it is 

 all done by birds. The species foiuid in Lombock is about 

 the size of a small ben, and entirely of dark olive and 

 brown tints. It is a miscellaneous feeder, devouring fallen 

 fruits, earth-worms, snails, and centipedes, but the flesh is 

 white and well -flavoured when properly cooked. 



The large green pigeons were still better eating, and were 

 much more plentiful. Tliese fine birds, exceeding our 

 largest tame pigeons in size, abounded on the i^alm-trees, 

 which now bore huge bunches of fniits — mere hard globular 

 nuts, about an inch in diameter, and covered with a dry 

 green skin and a veiy small portion of pulp. Looking at 

 the pigeon's bill and head, it would seem impossihle that it 

 coold swallow such large masses, or that it could obtain 



