The Malay archipelago : the land of the orang-utan ... - Wallace Online

XXVII.] THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE MOLUCCAS. 305afterwards met with them frequently, and have once or twicecome upon the birds engaged in making them. They run a fewstejjs backwards, grasjDing a quantity of loose material in onefoot, and throw it a long way behind tliem. When once projDerlyburied the eggs seem to be no more cared for, the young birdswoi'king their way up through the heap of rubbish, and runningoff at once into the forest. They come out of the egg coveredwith thick downy feathers, and liave no tail, although tlie wingsare fully developed.I was so fortunate as to discover a new species (Megapodiuswallacei), which inhabits Gilolo, Ternate, and Bouru. It is thehandsomest bird of the genus, being richly banded with reddishbrown on the back and wings ; and it differs from the otherspecies in its habits. It frequents the forests of the interior,and comes down to the sea-beach to deposit its eggs, but insteadof making a mound, or scratching a liole to receive tliem, itburrows into the sand to the depth of about three feet obliquelydownwards, and deposits its eggs at the l)ottom. It tlien looselycovei's up the mouth of tlie hole, and is said by the natives toobliterate and disguise its own footmarks leading to and fromtlie hole, by making many other tracks and scratches in theneighbourhood. It lays its eggs only at night, and at Bouru abird was caught early one morning as it was coming out of itshole, in which several eggs were found. All these birds seem tobe semi-nocturnal, for their loud wailing cries may be constantlyheard late into the night and long before daybreak in the morning.The eggs are all of a rusty red colour, and very large forthe size of the bird, being generally three or three and a quarterinches long, by two or two and a quarter wide. They are verygood eating, and are much sought after by the natives.Another large and extraordinary bird is the Cassowary, whichinhabits the island of Ceram only. It is a stout and strongbird, standing five or six feet high, and covered with long coarseblack hair-like feathers. The head is ornamented with a largehomy casque or helmet, and the bare skin of the neck is conspicuouswith bright blue and red colours. The wings are quiteabsent, and are replaced by a group of horny black spines likeblunt porcupine quills. These birds wander about the vastmountainous forests that cover the island of Ceram, feedingchiefly on fallen fruits, and on insects or Crustacea. The femalelays from three to five large and beautifully shagreened greeneggs upon a bed of leaves, the male and female sitting uponthem alternately for about a month. This bird is the helmetedcassowary (Casuarius galeatus) of naturalists, and was for a longtime the only species known. Others have since been discoveredin New Guinea, New Britain, and North Australia.It was in the Moluccas that I first discovered undoubtedcases of _" mimicry " among birds, and these are so curious that Imust briefly describe them. It will be as well, however, first toexplain what is meant by mimicry in natural history. At pageX