148 THE WORLD'S BIKDS. 



Screamer {Chaiina cristata), yellow, with olive back ; 



the body fledges before the wings, as in ducks. 

 Nest. — A mass of vegetable matter, on the ground or 



in shallow water 

 Eggs. — Several ; oval, spotless, tinted white. 

 Incubation. — Seven weeks (Crested Screamer in 



London Zoological Gardens). 

 Courtship. — Nothing but a slight raising of the wings. 

 Food. — Grass and aquatic herbage. 

 Gait. — A slow walk ; they swim readily, sitting high, 



and sometimes perch. 

 Flight. — Heavy but powerful, rather like a vulture's ; 



they can soar with ease. 

 Disposition and Habits. — Peaceable, except when 



breeding ; slow and rather sluggish ; they caress 



the young affectionately. In fighting they use the 



spurred wings. 

 Note. — A loud repeated scream or a hiss. The male 



and female call together. 

 Economic Qualities. — Their flesh is good, much like 



that of a wild duck. They will also care for young 



poultry at times. 

 Captivity. — They do well, feeding on soft ' vegetable 



food (soaked bread and boiled rice) and green stuff. 



They have been successfully bred and reared in 



the London Zoological Gardens. 

 Distribution and Species. — South America only, in 



marshes. There are only three species : the 



Kamichi or Horned Screamer {Palamedea cornuta), 



black with a few white markings, and with 



a slender horn on the head ; the Chakar, Chaja, 



or Crested Screamer (Chauna cristata), grey, with 



a narrow crest, and the Derbian Screamer (C 



derhiana), similar to the last, but darker and 



smaller. 



