They are richer than hens' eggs and of a finer favour, and each one completely fills an ordinary teacup, and forms with bread or rice a very good meal.

The colour of the shell is a pale brick red, or very rarely pure white.

They are elongate and very slightly smaller at one end, from four to four and a half inches long by two and a quarter or two and a half wide.
After the eggs are deposited in the sand, they are no further cared for by the mother.

The young birds, upon breaking the shell, work their way up through the sand and run off at once to the forest; and I was assured by Mr.Duivenboden of Ternate, that they can fly the very day they are hatched.

He had taken some eggs on board his schooner which hatched during the night, and in the morning the little birds flew readily across the cabin.