THE GUANS. 247 
leave the nest as soon as hatched, the old ones leading them 
into the thickets, where they are very hard to capture. I had 
the pleasure, at the ranch, of seeing six hatch under a hen. 
The little ones looked and acted exactly like chickens, picking 
up the corn-batter thrown to them, running in and out from 
under the hen’s wings, and jumping upon her back. Four of 
the six died within the first two weeks, but the others lived 
and thrived. A few are domesticated every year at almost 
every ranch, and they become inconveniently familiar, getting 
about under foot, jumping upon tables, beds, &c.” 
Mr. G. F. Gaumer, writing from Yucatan about the “Cha- 
cha-la-ca,” says :—‘‘ This bird spends most of its time in the 
trees, where it lives upon the fruit, flowers, and tender leaves. 
Its neutral green plumage renders it very difficult to spy out 
the bird. When disturbed it jumps to the ground to ascertain 
the nature of its danger, gives one or two long leaps, and again 
mounts upon a limb, from which it quickly flies from one 
branch to another until it escapes in the distance. In the 
male the trachea is wonderfully prolonged beneath the skin 
of the breast and abdomen almost to the anus, whence it returns 
and enters the chest at the proper place. With the great 
trumpet-like instrument the bird makes a peculiar noise, which 
may be heard at a league’s distance. The song is harsh and 
sonorous, and never produced alone ; but after each part the 
female, with a finer shriller voice, repeats it in such rapid 
succession, that it seems like one bird doing the whole. The 
usual time of singing is in the morning and evening, but it 
frequently sings at other hours.” 
Eges.— Generally three or four in number, occasionally five, 
longish ovals; shell, creamy-white, finely pitted. Measure- 
ments, 2°3 by 1°6 inches. 
XIV. THE WHITE-VENTED GUAN. ORTALIS LEUCOGASTRA. 
Penelope albiventer, Gould (zec Wagler), Voy. Sulph. Zool, 
p. 48, pl. 31 (1844). 
