It "abhors the measured
malice of music."
The inclusion among the birds of the air of such an inveterate land
lover, a bird which seldom takes flight of its own motive, is permissible
on general principles, while its practical exercise of rare domestic
economy entitles it to special and complimentary notice. Reference is
made elsewhere to the surpassing intelligence of the megapode in taking
advantage of the heat caused by the fermentation of decaying vegetation
to hatch out huge eggs. Long before the astute Chinese practised the
artificial incubation of hens' and ducks' eggs, these sage birds of ours
had mastered it. Several birds seem to co-operate in the building of a
mound, which may contain many cartloads of material, but each bird
appears to have a particular area in which to deposit her eggs. The
chicks apparently earn their own living immediately they emerge fully
fledged from the mound, and are so far independent of maternal care that
they are sometimes found long distances from the nearest possible
birthplace, scratching away vigorously and flying when frightened with
remarkable vigour and speed, though but a few hours old. I come gladly to
the conclusion that the megapode is a sagacious bird, not only in the
avoidance of the dismal duty of incubation, but in respect of the making
of those great mounds of decaying vegetable matter and earth which
perform the function so effectively.
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