HABITS OF CURASSOWS 15T 



that the Pauji usually meets its death, for the hunter can 

 then easily track it to its retreat, when it falls a victim, as 

 the people of the place say, to its own death-song. If the 

 Pauji gets suspicious it immediately ceases humming, and 

 that is an indication to the hunter that the bird has seen 

 him or scents danger. In such a case the only thing for 

 the sportsman to do is to remain perfectly still. The 

 bird may get reassured after a while, when it again begins 

 to call, and it can be then stealthily approached and 

 killed. If wounded only, the Pauji usually succeeds in 

 getting away. As these birds pass a part of their lives on 

 the ground they are fleet of foot, and as they are more- 

 over of muscular build and plucky disposition, if not killed 

 outright, or very dangerously injured, they make good 

 their escape in the dense undergrowth of the forest. The 

 food of the Pauji is very varied in its character. It con- 

 sists principally of the fruits and berries of the forest^ 

 of certain kinds of which the birds are passionately fond. 

 Like the domestic fowl the Pauji is also much given to 

 scratching among the decayed leaves on the ground in 

 search of worms and insects. On more than one occasion 

 I have seen these birds on the rocky islands in the rapids 

 and on the banks of the rivers apparently feeding on the 

 small snails which in certain places are fairly abundant. 

 During the mating season the males are prone to be 

 pugnacious and they engage in combats which sometimes 

 result in the serious injury of one or both combatants. 

 Isidor assured me that he had once come across two male 

 Paujis engaged in one of these encounters. So engrossed 

 were they with their fight that they paid no atttention to 

 him, and he was able to observe them for some time. 

 Eventually he secured both. They were so exhausted 

 and injured that they made no attempt to escape when he 



