466 THE FE-VTUEUED TKTl'.ES. 



THE AG AM I, OR GOIJ)EN-BREASTED TRUMPETER. 



Tills bird, a native of South America, suggests to us, as we conteniplate it, its natural 

 alliances with the ostrich, from the height of its legs and the length of its neck. It is 

 found in large flocks, which do not seem to visit the marsh or the fen, biit to seek in 

 preference upland forests and mountains. Like the ostrich, its speed is very great ; it 

 seldom takes to wing ; and even wlieu to do so is absolutely necessary, it rises but little 

 from the surface of the earth. 



The position of the agami has varied witli the opinions of difl'erent ornithologists.- It 

 was classed by Pallas among cranes ; by Brisson among pheasants ; and it makes the 

 Krst genus in Temminck's Alccforidca. It is the size of a large fowl or pheasant, its 

 length being twenty-two inches, but it appears larger from the length of its neck, and 

 also, from standing so high on its legs. 



This bird slightly resembles the pheasant in the glossy iridiscent green on the breast, 

 and in a space round the eyes destitute of feathers ; but it has a very short tail, consisting 

 of twelve black feathers, over which the long, loose, scapulary rump-plumes hang droop- 

 ingly. Its long greenish legs assimilate it to the Wading Birds, but it is said to differ 

 from them in their habits. 



nKAD Ol- AOAMI. 



The agami is very gregarious, being found in numerous flocks, which \\alJv and rmi, 

 Ijut rarely fly, and when they do, they seldom rise more than a few feet above the surface 

 of the ground. They trust, even when pursued, chiefly to their speed in i-unning. 



These birds build no nest, but scratch a hollow place at the root of a tree, where the 

 eggs are de23osited. They are somewhat larger than a hen's egg, and of a rounder form; 

 tliey vary from ten to sixteen in number, and are of a light-green colour. The down 

 remains a long time on the young, and grows into long silky plumes, which arc very 

 close, like fur, and it is not till they are one-fourth the size of the adult birds that the 

 <nio feathers appear. 



The name of Trumpeter is derived from a hollow internal sound made by tlie bird 

 without opening its bill. It is said to be produced by a peculiar structure of the wind- 

 pipe, which, from being about as thick iis a swan's quill, and almost bony, becomes slill 

 more slender, and loose, and cartilaginous when it enters the chest. Tlicre two semi- 

 cylindrical canals proceed fiom it, which are of a membranous texturt\ and capable of 

 being extended. They appear to form an air-bag, wliich, on the right side, desci-nds to 

 Ihc pelvis, and is divided witliin tlie breast into three or four cells, by transverse 

 membranes ; while, on the left side, the air-bag is narroN\er. The sound resembles the 

 (iM)iiig of a pigeon, or the .syllables tuo-tuo-too, repeated precipitately si.\ or seven times. 

 \\'hile tliis takes place, the chest heaves as in birds while singing, thougli the bill con- 



• I'Bopliin crepitans. 



