216 Proceedings of the 



been visited by many persons, and among them one gentleman who 

 had seen the identical bird alive at the Bay of Honduras, in the 

 latter part of the year 1817. 



He states, that these birds are found in the interior in the woods, 

 that they are very rare and remarkably shy. That two were brought 

 to the Bay, in the latter part of 1817, where he saw them in the 

 possession of the gentleman by whom it has been ascertained that 

 the specimen was sent to England, and that one of them was killed 

 by running against the bars of the place of its confinement, when 

 approached to be viewed. He cannot say positively whether the 

 birds were taken by the woodcutters, or by the natives, but he rather 

 believes by the woodcutters. 



There is also reason to believe that another specimen was taken 

 alive to Philadelphia in the year 1804, where it met with a similar 

 fate to the last, being killed by running against the bars of the place 

 of its confinement. 



When it is added, that a gentleman, resident thirty years in the 

 Bay of Honduras, never saw a single specimen of this bird ; and 

 that Charles Buonaparte, who has so distinguished himself as a 

 naturalist, by his able continuation of Wilson's Ornithology, has 

 recently sent persons thither expressly to procure a specimen, and 

 that without success, it is hoped that this attempt to collect in- 

 formation in regard to it Will not be without interest. 



Lastly, when we consider how completely we have succeeded 

 in domesticating the common turkey, as well as the great variety of 

 other birds, with which our farm-yards abound, and which, in their 

 wild state, were probably as shy as these, it may not be too much 

 to hope, that this notice may fall into the hands of some of those 

 who may hereafter have the means of procuring either the birds or 

 their eggs, and by leading them to make attempts at their domes- 

 tication, become the indirect means of making another most bril- 

 liant addition to such as have thus become more peculiarly subser- 

 vient to the uses of man. 



Friday, February 2Srd. 



Dr. Harwood gave, in the Lecture Room, *' A Description of 

 the Anatomy and Habits of several Species of the Seal :'' the out- 

 line of this discourse, with which he has favoured us, will be found 

 in another part of this Journal. (See page 71.) 



General Tolley presented some interesting specimens of Egyptian 

 antiquities to the Museum of the Institution. 



