A REPTILIAN BIRD 



other toes, instead of higher up, as in the barn-door fowl, 

 that the nearest allies of the megapodes are the South 

 American Cracidae, or curassows. Such at least was the 

 opinion of Professor Huxley, who described, nearly forty 

 years ago, their osteology. 



THE HOATZIN 



To include the hoatzin (Opisthocomus cristatus) among 

 the list of birds to be seen at the Zoo is only, we are con- 

 vinced, " an intelligent anticipation of events " ; for it 

 can only be a question of time before the energy of the 

 authorities will submit to the public one of the most 

 singular of living birds. It has been the subject of much 

 scientific research, and of many highly " descriptive " 

 paragraphs in newspapers. Its claims to notoriety are 

 based upon the behaviour of the nestlings ; they possess 

 in an unusual fashion the capacity for scrambling about 

 aided by the claws at the ends of two of the three fingers 

 which constitute the wings of this, as of all other recent 

 birds in which those appendages are not reduced (as in 

 the kiwi). It has been termed on this account the " four- 

 footed bird," a title which is clearly fully deserved in one 

 sense ; for it has, as have all birds, two pairs of limbs ; 

 but it is not so well earned in another sense, for all birds 

 when very young are plainly unable to fly, and use to 

 some extent their wings to aid in a confused movement, 

 which may be called " scrambling." The hoatzin has, 

 however, a legitimate interest, since it is one of those 

 ornithological nuts which are extremely hard to crack. 

 No one has as yet demonstrated to the satisfaction of 

 every one else what is the precise niche to be occupied by 

 Opisthocomus in the ornithological temple. It has been 

 pushed about from pillar to post of that temple since De 

 Buffon directed attention to its resemblance to the South 

 American curassows. The balance of opinion allies it to 

 the Gallinaceous birds, with a considerable touch of rail. 



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