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delicacy. A number of birds are said to join in making these mounds and lay their eggs to-
gether, so that sometimes forty or fifty may be found. The mounds are to be met with here
and there in dense thickets, and are great puzzles to strangers, who cannot understand who
can possibly have heaped together cartloads of rubbish in such out-of-the-way places; and
when they inquire of the natives they are but little wiser, for it almost always appears to
them the wildest romance to be told that it is all done by birds. The species found in Lom-
bock is about the size of a small hen, and entirely of dark olive and brown tints. It is a mis-
cellaneous feeder, devouring fallen fruits, earth-worms, snails, and centipedes, but the flesh
is white and well-flavoured when properly cooked.
The large green pigeons were still better eating, and were much more plentiful. These fine
birds, exceeding our largest tame pigeons in size, abounded on the palm-trees, which now
bore huge bunches of fruits—mere hard globular nuts, about an inch in diameter, and
covered with a dry green skin and a very small portion of pulp. Looking at the pigeon's bill
and head, it would seem impossible that it could swallow such large masses, or that it could
obtain any nourishment from them; yet I often shot these birds with several palm-fruits in
the crop, which generally burst when they fell to the ground. I obtained here eight species of
Kingfishers, among which was a very beautiful new one, named by Mr. Gould, * Halcyon
fulgidus. It was found always in thickets, away from water, and seemed to feed on snails
and insects picked up from the ground after the manner of the great Laughing Jackass of
Australia. The beautiful little violet and orange species (Ceyx rufidorsa) is found in similar
situations, and darts rapidly along like a flame of fire. Here also I first met with the pretty
Australian Bee-eater (Merops ornatus). This elegant little bird sits on twigs in open places,
gazing eagerly around, and darting off at intervals to seize some insect which it sees flying
near; returning afterwards to the same twig to swallow it. Its long, sharp, curved bill, the
two long narrow feathers in its tail, its beautiful green plumage varied with rich brown and
black and vivid blue on the throat, render it one of the most graceful and interesting objects
a naturalist can see for the first time.
Of all the birds of Lombock, however, I sought most after the beautiful ground thrushes
(Pitta concinna), and always thought myself lucky if I obtained one. They were found only
in the dry plains densely covered with thickets, and carpeted at this season with dead leaves.
They were so shy that it was very difficult to get a shot at them, and it was only after a good
deal of practice that I discovered how to do it. The habit of these birds is to hop about on the
ground, picking up insects, and on the least alarm to run into the densest thicket or take a
flight close along the ground. At intervals they utter a peculiar cry of two notes which when
once heard is easily recognised, and they can also be heard hopping along among the dry
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