THE CURASSOWS. 20I 



I. THE CRESTED CURASSOW. CRAX ALECTOR. 



Crax alec/or, Linn. S. N. i. p. 269 (1/65) ; Sclater, Trans. Z. S.- 

 ix. p. 277, pi. xliii. (1875); Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. I2rit. 

 Mus. xxii. p. 475 (1893). 

 Crax mitre {jiec L.), Vieillot, Gal. Ois. ii. pi. 199 (1825). 

 Crax s/oafiei, Reichenb. Tauben, p. 131 (1862). 

 Crax erythro^natha, Sclater and Salvin, P. Z. S. 1877, p. 22 ; 

 Sclater, Trans. Z. S. x. p. 543, pi. xc. (1879). 



Adult Male.— General colour black, glassed with purple, except 

 the belly, flanks, and under tail-coverts, which are white; crest 

 uniform black; tail not tipped Avilh white ; no swollen knob at 

 the base of the upper mandible nor wattles on the sides of the 

 lower ; cere and base of bill yellow, the tip horny blue. Total 

 length, 34 inches ; wing, 15 ; tail, 13 ; tarsus, 4*5. 



Adult Female. — Like the male, but the feathers of the crest 

 with a few white bars. Rather smaller; wing, 14 inches. 



Eange. — Northern South America. Rio Negro, Rio Branco, 

 Rio Vaupe, British Guiana, and the United States of Colombia. 



Habits. — According to Sonnini this species is very numerous 

 in French Guiana and met with in large flocks in the vast forests 

 which cover the greater part of that country. He found it of a 

 remarkably tame and confiding disposition, and by no means 

 afraid of his presence, but in the more inhabited parts it was 

 much wilder. It appears to nest during the rainy season, 

 which in Guiana lasts for seven or eight months. 



The "Mituporanga" generally keeps to the mountain forests, 

 perching on the high trees; and passes much of its time on the 

 ground searching for fruits, which form its chief diet. Tame 

 examples of this species are frequently to be seen in the streets 

 of the town of Cayenne, and may be observed entering all the 

 houses in the most fearless manner, and searching beneath the 

 tables for food. 



Mr. C. B. Brown met with large numbers of this species 

 along the banks of the River Corentyne, and was able to 



