The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-28
FEA THERED MOUND BUILDERS.
Plan Followed by Some Australian Bird
for Hatching Their Eggs.

ran tOllOWcu DV some Austral1an Birds
for Matching Their Eggs.
The precocity OF certain young birds was
never moro strikinGly shown than during the
trip of a small vessel down the coast Of New
Guinea. A trader had purchased from the ma
tives at q little port a number OF large eggs
which unexpectedly we're Matched in the close.
hot cabin. and the little birds literally flew
from the broken shells, at once equipped for
their struggle with the world. This unusual de-
velopment in birds so young is due. III all prob
ability. to the habits of the parent bird. which
il known as maleo. In depOsiting its Eggs it
does so in n nest unbirdlike manner. re-
minding one of the sea turtles. During
the laying season. instead Of seeking some
leafy bower and there building its nest. it de-
sends TO the seashore. and In the hot volcanic
sand digs a hole three or four feet across and
two or more feet deep. in which tho enormous
eggs are deposited. When tho full complement
Is laid the bird covers them M with sand and
deserts them. leaving them 10 the sun. as in
the case Of the turtles. to complete the work Of
Matching. When this occurs the young birds
dig ;hrir way out through the two or three
feet Of earth and run in the bush. fully able to
care for themselves.
Tho birds to which the term fcatherod mound
builders can he applet have habits equally
singular. and early travellers in Australia often
mistook their nests for the work of human
beings. The most remarkable mound Of this
kind was discovered by some English sports
men on the island of Nogo. in the Straits Of
Endcavor. They were pushing their way
through a forest when they suddenly
came upon a huge artificial mound. All
about it the earth had been carefully
scraIed. and rising to a height of fourteen
feet was IA heap Of soil and leaves l5O feet
in circumference the slope in some instances
measuring twGnty-four feet. So enormous n
piece Of work. representing many tons Of
earth. 1t was thought could only have been
made 10y man. but the discoverers soon found
that the mound builder was II bird. now well
known in Australia as the megapodius. The
in size. Tn" was found thirty feet in length
and tiftc.H II height: with n large tree growing
The bird is, about the "i2r Of the common
h)arnyarA fowl aud has large and powerful
setting IN" refuse in them and tossing it back
I" IA common centre. In this labor male and
worS Of MANY = bird thtrnHgh mnny genera.
: lions. Tn" eggs are laid in the sides of the
n"~t. npd, when covered np are at once
"uhat@r 'hnming The rest When the eggs hatch
the, Young birds scratch, their way out.
to iy from the mound into the bush. The eggs
nrc deposited At night. na in the case Of the
six feet in nlliIue directions. which makes tho
subsequent escape Of the young when Matched
all The m"re rGmIarFi9 1s. In m Al u ,hHs"
Nirohar mound builders tho heap. which is
often fifteen feet in height. covering q !arg.
the mound season after season,
TN" m"th%ls q d"ToSiiing n" eggs are
builders. Thus some birds llace each egg, at
the end Of n long tunnel. while the lciroa de-
together. AMI in a c!rcIc about three inches
apart. the arrangement hriLg made with the
greatest care and precision. There is also
of this mound. When the excavation has hocn
mad" it is filled with dead leaves oyer which
sund and, grass are sprinkleh. Then the
eGntGal shanG, Hoes are left Tor tlG eggs.
which are ana win s,nHular REGULARITY, ne
tn" location Of the first. tho third in an OPP
bosit" ."rneTi nnd ;" on, until eight haayc been
Deposited, When the young cS"nIe they are
cared for hr the mother. who il on the look
The mound builders known as TnlegaIlus.
found III New Guinea and Australia, construct
incubators equally remarkable, several f.;
ot,"gEs arc sometimes taken out by natives
who hunt them. The males open the mound
when III" females desire to lay. and the eggs
ar", carefully placed IN II circle with the large
one Of the most beautiful and singular Of
creatures. the Tyre bird. builds Il mound upon
which II stands, displaying its rich plumlgo
and going through what arpc4r,s to he a
stately minn"t. The nest Of the bird is Also a
m"und!iko structure. being made y OF sticks
and twigs, with an opening or door upon the
lower side: bat the real mound has nothing
to do with the. nest, heing apparently q place Of
resort which the male bird affects for reasons
not known.
From the fcath"rcd mound builders OF New
Guinea and Australia ia" first idea Of the mod
Crn Incubator might have beer obtained: md
the peculiar arrangement OF tn" material and
! layers tells a most interesting story Of the III
telligCurc nf the hirIS which So adjust leaves,
sanl and !eadwool aS To produce not merely
sufficient heat. hut also Ia" regular tcmpcrt-
tur" needed for tn" lurU lat on.
There are CERTAIN BIRDS which form them
! selves INTO living mounds at times, Such is
tn" little swallow III" CplluS. found in tn"
warmcst rrGiuns0l Ma laguScar. A FRENCH "X-
plurrr and naturalist. IN describing the birds,
says that when he first saw them il was nearly
night, and his attention was attracted To u
mOundlike object in the limbut a tree. Think-
Ing il was possibly an enormous waspS' nest.
h" sent up n native to knock II OF. when to his
engagement dozens 81 the little long-tailod
birds il"w away. This was the first nHthcutic
observation regarding their. peculiar habits,
Z and Il i now known that the birds cluster aud
CiiIE Together n hight IN q mound ur bal. ot
feathers. ana that their hnhitNnl manner Of
S,"'utng Is with III" feet higher than the head.
EN"u in confinement this peculiar habit is seen,
tn" srrCin"nslh the London Io6logical Gar
l"ns adopting positions that cause them 10
be the object VI 10 little attention.