542 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1910. 



Even by man they are seldom meddled with, except for scientific purposes, 

 since a peculiar and unpleasant odor attaches to the flesh, especially after death, 

 and which seems to be due to the penetration of the fluid and gaseous contents 

 of the digestive tract. On this account they are not generally eaten, but a few 

 cases have been reported to me in which they have been utilized for food. 

 Quelch (38). 



The flesh has an unpleasant odor of musk combined with wet hides — a smell 

 called by the Brazilians catinga; it is therefore uneatable. Bates (3). 



On our Venezuelan trip we heard a great deal and were warned 

 again and again concerning the frightful odor which was supposed 

 to characterize these birds. Some said they would have to be skinned 

 under water! We found this wholly false. When skinning or dis- 

 secting one of these hoatzins one notices the faintest of musky odors, 

 not at all unpleasant, and indeed perceptible only when the attention 

 is directed to it. Our specimens were certainly most inoffensive in 

 this respect, and the flesh of one which we cooked and ate, wdiile it 

 was tough, w r as as clean and appetizing as that of a curassow. 



In British Guiana the above experience was repeated, although the 

 " Stinking pheasant " w T as held in horror by the blacks. But, as 

 before, we could detect nothing but a slightly musky odor. The 

 odor is exceedingly persistent and is given off by skins which are 

 several j^ears old. Its cause is problematical and the direct connec- 

 tion with the crop is very doubtful. There is little doubt but that 

 hoatzins differ greatly, either seasonably or individually, in regard 

 to the intensity of this odor. Far be it from me, however, to em- 

 phasize any lack of it, for the very thread of existence of this most 

 interesting bird hangs upon belief in this inedibility. 



The Indians and other inhabitants of South America who depend 

 upon wild game for food never waste powder, shot, or arrows on so- 

 called sport. Until the ''civilized" tourist penetrates to these re- 

 gions, the hoatzins are safe. When he does arrive protection must 

 be given to these interesting birds — a heritage to us from past ages. 

 So helpless are they that, given a week's time and a shotgun, one 

 man could completeh* exterminate them in the colony of British 

 Guiana. Fortunately the game laws of that colony are comprehen- 

 sive and wisely made, and the hoatzins are probably safe for many 

 years to come. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY. 



(1) Allen, J. A. 1889. List of the Birds Collected in Bolivia. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. 



His., Vol. 2, No. 2, p. 107. 



(2) Astlett, H. A. 1909. MS. Letter, dated June 7th. 



(3) Bates, H. W. 1S92. The Naturalist on the River Amazons, pp. 60-61. 



(4) Beddard, Feank E. 18S9. Contributions to the Anatomy of the Hoatzin. The 



Ibis. 6th Series. Vol. 1, pp. 283-293. 



(5) Beebe, C. William. 1909. An Ornithological Reconnoissance of Northeastern 



Venezuela. Zoologica. Vol. 1, No. 3, p. 73. 



(6) Beebe, C. William, and Mary Blair. 1909. Our Search for a Wilderness. 



Chapter 11. Henry Holt & Co., New York. 



