FAMILY CRACIDAE 297 



they are tree inhabitants that range into the high leaf crown, they 

 descend to the ground to feed, and, at the borders of streams, to 

 drink. Males call regularly, a curious sound, subdued in tone, but 

 with fair carrying power, that may be imitated by the syllable 

 oom-m-m-m, uttered with closed lips, and prolonged. The note is 

 ventriloquial, therefore difficult of orientation, in particular to know 

 whether the bird is on the forest floor or in trees. If on the ground 

 it often moves ahead under cover of the undergrowth until it may 

 slip aside and hide. I have also heard a low, excited quit quit from 

 them, apparently the note of the female. When startled they rise 

 heavily but rapidly so that they are killed only by a quick shot. In 

 taking off from high trees they gain swift speed immediately, al- 

 ternately flapping and then sailing with set wings. Though they may 

 not fly far, usually they hide so that they are not seen again. 



The nesting season in eastern Panama must come in the rainy 

 season, as in February and March near Chiman, and in the area to 

 the eastward, I noted numerous immature birds that were fully 

 grown. And from February to April the males were calling regularly. 

 Little is known in detail of their nesting except that they build a 

 flimsy structure of sticks, lined with green leaves, in trees 6 to 30 

 meters from the ground, in which 2 eggs are laid. Two single eggs 

 are in U. S. National Museum, collected by Jose Zeledon in Costa 

 Rica, one at Pirris, April 10, 1883, and one near San Jose in 1887. 

 Both are subelliptical and creamy-white, with roughened, pitted 

 shells. They measure 91.0x72.4 and 90.6x64.5 mm. A third col- 

 lected by Charles Sheldon on April 22, 1904, in northern Veracruz, 

 75 miles south of Tampico, measures 95.2x64.7 mm., and is 

 similar to the others. A notation on the label with this specimen indi- 

 cates a "spoiled egg left in nest." The structure is not described. In 

 the Museum of Comparative Zoology there are two, presented by Karl 

 Curtis, laid in confinement in the Canal Zone, that measure 88.7 x 64 

 and 95.3x62.6 mm. 



When the eggs hatch, the down-covered chicks are said to tumble 

 out of the nest to the ground and to grow under the care of both 

 parents. The wings develop rapidly, and when still quite small the 

 young birds fly readily to escape danger. Curassows feed on drupes 

 borne by trees and shrubs, often descending to pick up those that have 

 fallen to the ground. Females sometimes are called pava rubia from 

 their color. 



A male and a female taken back of Armila on March 13, 1963, each 

 weighed 3.8 kilograms (8^ lbs). It is widespread behef that while the 

 flesh is excellent the bones must not be given to dogs, as they may 



