CLASSIFICATION. 207 



gratitude of man. In tropical America the Agami, Trophia crepi- 

 tans, or Trumpet Bird of Guiana, is domesticated, and so docile in 

 its habits, that it is employed to watch the flocks, which it does 

 with the fidelity and intelligence of a Dog. " The Agami," says 

 M. Monocour, " is not only tamed easily, but becomes attached to 

 its benefactor with all the fondness and fidelity of a Dog. When 

 bred in the house, it loads the master with caresses, and follows 

 all his motions, but is easily offended." It is bold and obstinate, 

 and will attack Cats and Dogs, fighting a tough battle with one of 

 the latter, however considerable his size. In Cayenne the denizens 

 of the poultry-yard are confided to its care ; it leads them to their 

 pasture, prevents them from straying to a dangerous distance, and 

 brings them home in the evening, just as a trained shepherd's 

 Dog will do the flocks committed to his care, and it manifests 

 its delight by cries of joy when its master vouchsafes a caress 

 in return for its faithful service. The Kamichi, which belongs, 

 like the Agami, to the same order, possesses similar characteristic 

 intelligence. Like the former, it is sociable and susceptible of 

 education, and becomes a useful auxiliary to the inhabitants of 

 South America. 



After these brief remarks on the organisation and habits of 

 birds, we proceed to describe the more remarkable species, arranged 

 according to a simple and comprehensive order of classification, 

 placing before the reader the various orders of the class Aves, 

 in the ascending scale which has been adopted in our previous 

 works. 



Aves — Birds. 



"Warm-blooded, vertebrated, biped animals. Pectoral limbs, 

 fore-arms or wings organised for flight ; feathery integument ; 

 red blood ; respiration and circulation double ; lungs fixed and 

 perforated. 



I. Natatores, or Palmipedes. 



Swimming birds, having the toes united by a membrane ; legs 

 placed behind the equilibrium ; the body covered with a thick 

 coat of down beneath the feathers. They include the following 

 orders and families : — 



