YOUNG TRUMPETERS 249 



and fragments of several small beetles and orange ants, be- 

 sides numerous red seeds, skins of berries and several chest- 

 nut-shaped, hard, greenish seeds. This was typical of many 

 birds examined, the proportion of vegetable to animal mat- 

 ter being about eighty to twenty per cent. 



We secured three young birds in the downy stage. One 

 of these was about a week old, and was one of four of equal 

 age, which were in company witli three old birds, a male and 

 two females. 



On April 21, we secured two very young trumpeters 

 about four days old (Fig. 78). These were associated 

 with a flock of ten or twelve adults and eight or ten nestling 

 birds, cheeping on the ground in all directions. 



The downy trumpeter had the characteristic shake of 

 the head and nervous wing-flapping of the adults. Its note 

 was a sharp peep like that of a chick, until called or stroked 

 when it changed to a plaintive, sibilant twe, twe, twe, twe, or 

 when more excited, chuwee! chutvee! This reminded one of 

 the whistling squeak emitted by a rubber doll. 



The chicks roosted at night on the highest perch, and 

 during the day preferred alwa^'s the darkness of the coop 

 to the bright light outside where the young curassows and 

 guans spent their time. 



\'\^hen first placed M^ith these other young birds, the 

 downy trumpeter became quite excited, flicked its wings and 

 bowed, quite like the old birds of its own species. It could 

 not as yet boom, but when greatly agitated, as when caught 

 in the hand, it uttered the prolonged cackle of the adults, 

 together with the high, shrill note. 



It invariably perched on one foot, and this rested chiefly 

 on the middle toe, with the big basal pad behind the perch, 

 the central toe curled around it, and the other two spread 

 laterally along the top. The hind toe w^as quite useless in 

 roosting, being raised high above the perch. 



The pattern of the young trumpeter was very complex 

 and wholly unlike that of any other downy chick with which 



