CRACID.E — THE CrUASSOW'S. 



399 



with white, except the middle one. Foathcrs along the midille of the throat black; 

 outer edge of primaries tinged with gray. Eyes brown. Bill luid fi,Tt lead-colored. 

 Length, 23.50; wing, 8.50; tail, 11.00. 



Had. Valley of the Rio Grande, and southward to Guatemala. 



This form is distinguishable from 0. vctula, as restricted, of which it is 

 the northern representativi;, by the paler and less fulvous colors, and lighter 

 — often nearly white — tips to the tail-feathers, besides other minor dif- 

 ferences in coloration. The two cannot be separated specifically, ho\\e\-er, 

 since they undoubtedly grade into each other. 



Habits. This very remarkalile bird, belonging as it does to a form pecu- 

 liar to this continent, is 

 the only sjiecies found 

 within the limits of the 

 United States, and only 

 within a quite restricted 

 area in the vaUey of the 

 Eio Grande. Numerous 

 species of this family 

 are found in the warmer 

 countries of America, 

 especially Mexico and 

 Central America, all or 

 nearly all of %\hiL]i ap- 

 pear to be capable of 

 domestication, and some of whicii, including the present species, have, in 

 repeated instances, been quite as completely domesticated as our common 

 Turkey. 



Birds of the family to wliich tlie Texan species belongs differ in a very 

 marked manner, in habits, from most Gallinacem, inasmuch as they not only 

 live almost exclusively in deep forests, but are also remarkable for habitually 

 frequenting trees, feeding upon their foliage, and building their nests within 

 their branches, more in the manner of the smaller birds. They are all said 

 to have loud and discordant voices, and are generally of a black or dark 

 plumage. 



Specimens of tliis bird \vere taken at Boquillo, in New Leon, in the 

 spring of 18.53, by Lieutenant Couch, who speaks of them as gregarious and 

 as seeking their food wholly or in part on trees. According to Mr. Clark, 

 they do not occur liigher up the Eio Grande than the vicinity of Ringgold 

 Barracks, inhabiting the deepest chaparrals, which they never qiut. They 



the belly thiged with ochraceous or nisty ; tail, bronzed green ; the five lateral feather.s tipped 

 with white or buff. Length, 21.00 ; wing, 7.70 ; tail, 9.00 ; tarsu.s, 2.50. Ilab. Te.xas to 

 Honduras, on cast .side of Mexico. 



A near ally to 0. rctida is the 0. Icucorjnslra, Gould (S. & S. p. 539) from Pacific coa.st of 

 Central America. This dill'.-rs in jmrc white of under parts. The size also is considerably less. 



Ortnlida mncrnlli. 



