many places where it had been scratching; we also saw its tracks on the sand when crossing the dried beds of the swamps at least two miles from the breeding thicket, which proves that the bird, in procuring its food, does not confine itself to the brushes around its nest, but merely resorts to them for the purpose of incubating. The native informed us that the only chance of procuring the bird was by stationing ourselves in sight of the mound at a little distance, and remaining quiet and immoveable till it made its appearance at sun-down; this I attempted, and, with the native, encamped within twenty yards of the mound about an hour before sunset, taking the precaution to conceal ourselves well with bushes from the quick eye of the bird, but leaving just a sufficient opening to get a fair sight with my gun; in a half-sitting, half-crouching position I thus remained in breathless anxiety for the approach of the bird I had so long wished to see, not daring to move a muscle, for fear of moving a branch or making a noise by crushing a dead leaf, till I was so cramped I could scarcely bear the pain in my limbs; the bird did not however make its appearance, and the native, with the fear of wading through the thicket in darkness (for there was no moon), became so impatient, that he started up and began to talk so loud and make so much noise, that I was compelled to give up all hopes of seeing the bird that night; however, just as we were passing the mound we started the bird from the opposite side, but from the denseness of the thicket and the darkness closing around us, I had no chance of getting a shot at it. Mr. Roe, the Surveyor-general, who examined several mounds during his expedition to the interior in the year 1836, found the eggs nearly ready to hatch in the month of November, and invariably seven or eight in number; while another authority has informed me of an instance of fourteen being taken from one mound.” In a subsequent letter Mr. Gilbert states that the flavour of the egg is very similar to that of the Tortoise or Turtle, and that when mixed with tea its similarity to the peculiar roughness and earthy flavour of that of the Hawk’s-bill Turtle is very remarkable. Genus MEGAPODIUS, _Quoy & Gaim._ The members of this genus inhabit all the Indian and Philippine Islands and Australia. Mr. G. R. Gray informs me that “the females of some species associate together in bands during the night and deposit their eggs in a cavity which they dig to the depth of two or three feet; that the successive deposits of eggs amount to a hundred or more and are left to be hatched by the solar rays; that some cover them with sand and others with the remains of plants; and that the eggs are extremely large for the size of the birds, and are generally of a cinnamon colour.” 442. Megapodius tumulus, _Gould_ Vol. V. Pl. 79.