278 Messrs. E. L. and E. L. C. Layard on Birds 
A little further on I heard the scratching (sure sign!); but 
while cautiously peeping round a big tree, an envious rotten 
branch caught against my breast and broke with a loud snap, 
and I just got a glimpse of the Malou running like a race¬ 
horse over a slight elevation close by. Next day I was in 
a ravine so precipitous that I had to get into the summit of 
a big tree, and climb down that way. I had not gone far 
when I heard something that sounded remarkably like a 
Malou.^^ As before, I was in the bed of the watercourse. 
I looked all about the almost perpendicular sides : nothing to 
be seen; but the noise still continued; and at last, right in 
front of me, on a little pebbly bank, under a huge rock, I 
caught sight of two splendid ^^Malous,” slowly retreating, and 
looking full at me. They were evidently old birds, in full 
breeding-plumage, their bare red heads and necks shining 
grandly in a gleam of sunshine; and they carried their absurd 
little tails stuck straight down between their legs. I was de¬ 
lighted at getting such a good look at so rare a bird, and tried 
to get both at one shot; but I have been sold ” too often by 
being too greedy, so knocked over the furthest one with a half- 
charge. The other one apparently vanished into thin air, as 
I saw nothing more of him. About a mile higher up the 
ravine I was startled by the hoarse cry of alarm, which appears 
to be the only sound these birds emit, and I could just see 
the bird’s red head as he stared at me from behind a clump 
of rocks. I soon had the pleasure of handling him. My 
friend the planter was astonished at my success, and said that 
though he had resided there five years he had never got three 
birds in two days. 
The natives on Ambrym and Espiritu Santo told me there 
were plenty about, and promised me both birds and eggs; but 
we stayed too short a time in each place to allow the novelty 
of the ship’s presence to wear oflP, so that they could go and 
hunt. As I was stepping into the boat at Ambrym a native 
rushed up with one egg, and I gave him a stick of tobacco 
for it. The iris of this bird is dark brown; bill pale yellow; 
legs and feet bright yellow; claws horn-coloured, very long, 
curved, and flat on the underside.—L. L. 
