238 Allen's naturalist's library. 



vi. the grey-headed guan. ortalis canicollis. 



Penelope canicollis,\N2i^^'c^ Isis, 1830, p. 1112. 

 Ortalida cam'collis, VV'agler, Isis, 1832, p. 1227. 

 Orialida guttata, White, P. Z. S. 1882, p. 627. 

 Ortalis canicollis. Salvia ; Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. 

 xxii. p. 508 (1893). 



Adult. — Very similar to O. riificaiida, but the chest and upper 

 breast darker and of a more oHve-grey colour ; the chestnut 

 tips to the tail-feathers much wider, and confined to the two 

 outer pairs of tail-feathers. Total length, 20 inches; wing, 

 8-8 ; tail, 9*9 ; tarsus, 2*35 ; middle toe and claw, 2*35. 



Only female examples have been examined, but the male is 

 no doubt similar in plumage. 



Eange. — Central South America ; Paraguay, Rio Parana, Rio 

 Vermejo, Lower Pilcomayo, Salta and Tucuman in the Argen- 

 tine Republic, Villa Maria on the Upper Paraguay, Brazil. 



Mr. J. Graham Kerr says : — " The ' Charata ' is exceedingly 

 abundant in all the thick forests of the Pilcomayo. They 

 occasionally descend to the ground to feed, but this is com- 

 paratively rare ; usually they remain amongst the upper branches 

 of the trees, feeding on various fruits. This is a sociable bird, 

 many being usually found near one another. It is also rather 

 timid ; but this quality is in great part masked by its intense 

 curiosity. When one enters a forest in which the 'Charatas' 

 are not accustomed to the sight of man, they examine the in- 

 truder curiously, and call their companions with their soft and 

 cheepy call note. If one remains perfectly still all the birds 

 within hearing collect around, and by answering their call-notes 

 one can bring them down to within a few feet. 



" If one walks up towards a tree in which are some ' Chara- 

 tas' they first utter their soft call-note to draw their companions' 

 attention, and then, as one comes nearer, they begin to hop 

 about uneasily, and their voices rise in pitch by regular grada- 



