THE CURASSOWS. 20) 



Crax hluinenhachii^ Burmeister, Syst. Uebers. iii. p. 345 

 (1856). 



Adult Male — Plumage like that of C. globicera, the tail not 

 tipped with white ; the large swollen knob at the base of the 

 upper mandible and the ivattle on each side of the base of 

 the lower mandible scai'lei. Total length, 32 inches; wing, 

 14*8; tail, i3"5 ; tarsus, 4. 



Adult Female. — Differs from the male in having the feathers 

 of the crest indistinctly barred with white; the belly, flanks, and 

 under tail-coverts rufoiis-biiff ; the swollen knob and wattles 

 absent ; and the basal half of the bill scarlet. Size rather 

 smaller, wing, 14" 2. 



Range. — South-eastern Brazil, extending from Rio de Janeiro 

 to Bahia. 



Habits. — From Prince Maximihan of Neuwied's work we 

 translate the following interesting account of this bird's habits. 



" The ' Mutung ' is a beautiful large bird which is only to be 

 met with where it can find a safe home in secluded parts of the 

 forest. I have often found it in such places, living in pairs, 

 even out of the pairing season. I have not come across it 

 farther south than the rivers Itapemirim and Itabapuana, but it 

 is often found on the Rio Doce, Mucuri, Alcobaca, Belmonte, 

 and is everywhere a very favourite game bird. It replaces in 

 those forests our European Capercailzies. In the pairing time, 

 especially in November, December, and January, the far-reach- 

 ing cry of the cock is heard far and wide calling the hens round 

 him. He then, it is said, spreads his tail, makes all kinds of 

 movements with his wings, and calls in a deep tone hu ! hu ! 

 hu ! hu ! which can be heard a long way off. These birds 

 live much on the ground, and are therefore often caught in 

 snares. They feed on fruits, for I have found hard fruits and 

 nuts in their crops, both partly and entirely digested, and which 

 were sometimes so hard that one could not cut them with a 

 knife. I did not find stones, though the birds must un- 

 doubtedly swallow them. . . . 



