TALEGALLINiE. 
mound  arc  collected  by  the  birds  by  means  of  one  of  their  feet,  in  which  they  carry  the  quantity  that  they  collect, 
until  they  have  formed  a heap  of  sufficient  size,  completely  destroying  the  plants,  &c.,  growing  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
the  mound.  After  a certain  time  has  been  allowed  for  the  vegetables  thus  accumulated  to  engender  some  decree  of 
heat,  several  female  birds  deposit  their  eggs  at  a little  distance  from  each  other,  and  cover  them  to  the  depth  of  "two  or 
three  feet  They  are  placed  perfectly  straight,  with  the  large  end  upwards,  and  are  thus  left  until  they  are  hatched  by 
the  artificial  heat  of  the  mound.  The  young  birds  force  their  way  out  of  the  heap  of  themselves,  and  are  clothed  with 
I6£ltIlGrS. 
1.  T.  Cuvieri  Less.  Voy.  cle  la  Coqu.  Ois.  t.  38.  | 2.  T.  Latimmi  (Gray),  G.  R.  Gray,  Gray’s  Zool.  Misc.  p.  4., 
1 Lath.  Hist,  of  li.  x.  pi.  (1,^  Gould,  B.  of  Austr.  pi. 
Meg ACEPH ALON 
Bill  moderate,  robust,  with  the  culmeii  elevated  at  the  base,  curved,  and  compressed  on  the  sides 
towards  the  tip  ; the  lateral  margins  slightly  curved ; the  gonys  moderate  and  ascending ; the  nostrils 
basal  and  lateral.  Wings  moderate  and  rounded,  with  the  fifth  and  sixth  quills  equal  and  longest.  Tail 
moderate,  (vaulted?),  emarginated  in  the  middle,  and  rounded  on  the  sides.  Tarsi  robLt,  rather 
longer  than  the  middle  toe ; the  knee  denuded  of  feathers,  and  the  front  covered  with  small  scales 
which  enlarge  and  are  transverse  near  the  base  of  the  toes.  Toes  long  and  robust,  with  the  lateral  onel 
nearly  equal,  and  both  much  united  at  their  base  to  the  middle  toe  by  a prominent  membrane ; the  hind 
toe  long,  even  with  the  other  toes,  and  all  strongly  scaled  above;  the  claws  strong,  compressed,  and 
slightly  curved. 
The  bird  that  constitutes  this  division  has  hitherto  been  found  only  in  the  jungles  of  the  Island  of  Celebes. 
M.  ruhripes  (Quoy  & Gain,.)  Voy.  de  I'Astrol.  Ois.  t.  25.  (juv.)  _ Megacephalon  maleo  Temm. 
The  above  name  has  been  proposed  by  M.  Temminck;  but,  I believe,  he  has  not  yet  published  the  generic  characters. 
August,  1846. 
