In The Centre Of This Mound, At
A Depth Of Two Or Three Feet, The Eggs Are Deposited, And Are
Hatched By The Gentle Heat Produced By The Fermentation Of The
Vegetable Matter Of The Mound.
When I first saw these mounds in
the island of Lombock, I could hardly believe that they were made
by such small birds, but I afterwards met with them frequently,
and have once or twice come upon the birds engaged in making
them.
They run a few steps backwards, grasping a quantity of
loose material in one foot, and throw it a long way behind them.
When once properly buried the eggs seem to be no more cared for,
the young birds working their way up through the heap of rubbish,
and running off at once into the forest. They come out of the egg
covered with thick downy feathers, and have no tail, although the
wings are full developed.
I was so fortunate as to discover a new species (Megapodius
wallacei), which inhibits Gilolo, Ternate, and Bouru. It is the
handsomest bird of the genus, being richly banded with reddish
brown on the back and wings; and it differs from the other
species in its habits. It frequents the forests of the interior,
and comes down to the sea-beach to deposit its eggs, but instead
of making a mound, or scratching a hole to receive them, it
burrows into the sand to the depth of about three feet obliquely
downwards, and deposits its eggs at the bottom. It then loosely
covers up the mouth of the hole, and is said by the natives to
obliterate and disguise its own footmarks leading to and from the
hole, by making many other tracks and scratches in the
neighbourhood. It lays its eggs only at night, and at Bouru a
bird was caught early one morning as it was coming out of its
hole, in which several eggs were found. All these birds seem to
be semi-nocturnal, for their loud wailing cries may be constantly
heard late into the night and long before daybreak in the
morning. The eggs are all of a rusty red colour, and very large
for the size of the bird, being generally three or three and a
quarter inches long, by two or two and a quarter wide. They are
very good eating, and are much sought after by the natives.
Another large and extraordinary bird is the Cassowary, which
inhabits the island of Ceram only. It is a stout and strong bird,
standing five or six feet high, and covered with long coarse
black hair-like feathers. The head is ornamented with a large
horny calque or helmet, and the bare skin of the neck is
conspicuous with bright blue and red colours. The wings are quite
absent, and are replaced by a group of horny black spines like
blunt porcupine quills.
These birds wander about the vast mountainous forests that cover
the island of Ceram, feeding chiefly on fallen fruits, and on
insects or crustacea.
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