On the Habits of the Hoatzin. 327 



of the tail attain a length of six, seven, or even more feet. 

 In these instances the growth must be continuous for many 

 months to attain the unusual length. 



In the so-called Silk fowl the feathers have the barbs 

 entirely disconnected, so that the birds have a fluffy or woolly 

 appearance ; this in the ordinary white Silk fowl is conjoined 

 with a singular development of black pigment, which is de- 

 posited in the skin, the periosteum, and the inter-muscular 

 cellular tissue; but the silky feature may occur in other 

 breeds, and is occasionally found in very different species, as, 

 for example, in the Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus). 



The plastic character of the species is evidenced by the 

 fact that within a few years it has been the desire of poultry- 

 fanciers to produce many of the varieties reduced to the 

 size of Bantams. This has been most successfully accom- 

 plished with the Game, the Malay, the Cochin, and several 

 others, specimens of which were exhibited at the show. 



XXVIII. — On the Habits of the Hoatzin (Opisthocomus 

 cristatus). By J. J. CAuelch, B.Sc. (Loud.), C.M.Z.S., 

 Curator of the British Guiana Museum. 



The observations on which the following notes are based 

 were made in March, May, and October 1888, July 1889, 

 and January 1890; and as they extended over but short 

 periods at each time, no doubt several characteristics have 

 remained unnoted which more continuous attention would 

 have revealed. 



The Hoatzin is known in British Guiana by the various 

 names of" Anna," " Hanna," " Canje, or Stinking Pheasant," 

 and "Governor Battenberg's Turkeys;" but in the districts 

 where it is found the name of "Hauna" is the one most 

 commonly used. These birds are plentifully distributed along 

 the Berbice river above the town of New Amsterdam, along 

 the Canje creek, which opens into the Berbice immediately 

 below the same town, and along the Abary creek, one of 

 the higher branches of which leads into the Berbice river, 

 and along which the birds have most likely spread, by this 



