THE GUANS. 243 



Ortalis in front of my house ; one of them, losing its presence 

 of mind, rushed into my room and perched on a plank, but 

 managed to make its escape through a hole in the wall. 



"Their cry, which is uttered in the morning and afternoon, 

 may be heard at a considerable distance, each pair in turn 

 uttering an inharmonious duet. When calling they sit perched 

 on the larger branches close to one another, and whilst one, 

 probably the male, repeats the hou-dou-goii^ his mate adds after 

 the two first syllables d-ra-cou^ which together make up the 

 word hoii-dou-d-1'a-cou^ of which the middle a is the highest 

 and most accentuated note. Throughout the greater part of 

 its range in South America it is known by the same name with 

 slight variations ; whilst in the district of Ayacucha it is called 

 *' manakaraku," and in the Amazon district " uataraku." 



"In addition to its alarm-note during the nesting-season, I 

 can mention three others. The first may be expressed by the 

 syllable ' kyt.' A second, rarely heard, and which is best ex- 

 pressed by the word ' piou,' is an expression of surprise given 

 vent to as the bird flies up. The third is a piercing cry of 

 despair ; one day I heard a bird crying in this way during a 

 whole afternoon. 



"The following details, which require confirmation, were 

 supplied me by the natives. 



" Several females make one nest in common, for twelve to 

 fourteen eggs are to be found in it, and I have only once seen 

 a female with two chicks. The eggs are white. The nest is 

 placed on the ground, and the natives declare that by remov- 

 ing most of the eggs and only leaving one or two the Ortalids 

 can be induced to go on laying, but I think this is extremely 

 doubtful. It is said that the male will cross with domestic 

 poultry. It is certain that March and April are the nesting- 

 season. 



"When walking along horizontal branches, these birds place 

 their feet with the toes turning inwards, like other Penelopes 

 and Pigeons. The flight is heavy and short." 



R 2 



