478 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. i04 



feathers on the lower abdomen. This was more observable before 

 preparing the specimens than in the resulting study skins. 



The young chicks collected on July 20 had dark brown irides, 

 brown bills, the mandible paler than the maxilla, and pale flesh- 

 colored feet. The ju venal plumage of this tinamou appears to be 

 undescribed, and to fill this gap in our recorded loiowledge the follow- 

 ing description is appended: Forehead and anterior part of crown 

 back to middle of the eye between pinkish buff and cinnamon buff, 

 this same color extending over the eyes, the lores, the auriculars, 

 and the sides of the occiput as a broad band, the two bands narrowing 

 and meeting transversely on the nape, where, however, the dark 

 bases of the feathers show through and produce a broken, mottled 

 appearance; top and middle of crown and occiput argus brown to 

 Brussels brown, a blackish line from the forward end of the eye to the 

 base of the maxilla; on the posterolateral part of the cheeks a patch 

 of argus brown narrowly edged with blackish above and also below; 

 the upper back and mantle mottled transversely, the feathers dark 

 fuscous to fuscous black, with narrow, widely spaced bars of cinnamon 

 buff; wings in our specimens with no remiges as yet, otherwise like 

 the upper back; back, median and lower back, and rump argus brown 

 to Brussels brown; no rectrices as yet in our birds; chin and upper 

 throat white; lower throat, breast, sides, flanks, and tibiae cinnamon 

 buff with an effect of dusky barring due to the dark bases shoMdng 

 through; middle of abdomen cinnamon buff with no suggestion of 

 bars, paling posteriori}^ to pale pinkish buff. 



The chicks collected at the end of July were very active, chasing 

 every little insect that passed their way. The call was a low wwp- 

 wup, very similar to the nonwhistled (perhaps flocking call?) of the 

 adults. An attempt to raise the chicks failed, but the collector was 

 told that they are occasionally raised in captivity, although the birds 

 never become tame, as does, for example, the Cayenne lapwing 

 Belonopterus chilensis. The captive bird mentioned above was caught 

 in a fall trap. It and a captive Crypturellus soui remained in apparent 

 good health for four months on a diet of cracked corn and occasional 

 small snails, which were usually refused. Both died within several 

 days of one another, apparently from diet deficiency or disease. 



These tinamous wander considerably, although within the same 

 general area. They are local, not to be encountered at all in some 

 parts, while often common in other parts of the same type of woods. 

 Nor can one count on finding them at a favorite locality. One week 

 they may be very much in evidence, while the following week they 

 are apparently absent. To some extent, this may be due to whether 

 or not the birds are calling, for they are most diflicult to find when 

 silent; but it may also be that the group has simply moved off to 

 another spot. 



