181 



of rWBtsUs* an xoaUrnt dish for UM table. In a wild state they 

 inhabit Guyana and Brazil, and perhaps extend still farther to the 

 north. TfcSrfcod canst** principally of seeds and fruits, which they 

 tor and eat upon UM ground ; bat the greater part of their 



ixtslsnes is rmn\ upon UM trees, un the tops of which they perch, 

 and in which they build their neets. They are often found in large 



Una., bat cnimfiy pur u^rther with UM strictest constancy. The 

 f .males Uy from two to fire egg* Their flight, like that of mort 

 nllioeosow birds, in eonatquenee of UM shortnea of their wings, U 

 low MM! heavy ; and in the |>erformance of thU action they derive 

 noch aanstaao. from their tail, the feathers of which may be 

 expanded in UM shape of a fan. All the birds of this genus appear 

 to be known in Brazil by UM name of Jacu, pronounced YHCOU, 

 derived, aooording to Xarcgrave, from their note. Thif, as might be 

 upecUd from UM conformation of their trachea, U extremely loud, 

 msomiioh that when a considerable number are collected near the 

 mtne spot, UM Terr woods, to use the expression of the scientific 

 traveller just quoted, re-echo with their clamorous cries." The same 

 author obserres that M. Spix added very considerably to the difll- 

 oulties that preriously existed in distinguishing the species of this 

 interesting group by the publication, in his ' Brazilian Birds,' of a 

 series of figures representing apparently very slight modifications of 

 UM common form, but to each of which he has prefixed a peculiar 

 specific name. Mr. Bennett expresses his belief that most of these 

 will be found on further examination to be referrible to the present 

 snecJM, which, from its long domestication in the poultry-yards of 

 South America, must necessarily be subject to very extensive varia- 

 tions. (' Gardens and Menagerie of the Zoological Society,' vol. ii.) 



M. Lesson, on the authority of M. Goudot, mentions a species, 

 Ptntiojx Aburri, Ooud., 2 feet 3 inches (French) long, the tail being 

 10 inches. M. Ooudot states that this species seems peculiar to the 

 mountains of New Granada, inhabiting temperate and cold districts ; 

 it i, he says, unknown in the great warm valleys and by the rivers. 

 In the environs of the city of Muzo, celebrated for its mine of 

 emeralds, this bird, he states, is known under the name of Pavo-6- 

 Uuali The inhabitants of the neighbourhood of Bogota and of the 

 valley of Cauca designate it by the term Pava Burn, or Aburri 

 Aburrida, which when slowly pronounced well expresses its cry. The 

 male does not differ from the female ; and those which M. Ooudot 

 opened bad two ca*cums analogous to Pentiope Paratona and Pavita 

 (npmtiiariil). The trachea descended without any fold to the lungs. 

 There was no gravel in the gizzard, the walls of which were thin, and 

 nearly entirely covered by the proper muscles. M. Ooudot states 

 that the species lives solitary, perches upon high trees, flics but little, 

 and suffers the hunter to approach easily within shot It is never 

 seen on the ground. The berries of trees compose its food. Its nest 

 is formed in a mass of dry leaves, disposed between the forks of 

 trees. The ens are three in number, white, and 1 inch 8 lines in 

 diameter. These birds, adds M. Ooudot, are very common in the 

 mountains of Quindiu, between Hague and Carthagena. Their notes 

 are the but that are heard on the approach of night, and the first 

 that announce the dawn of day. 



OrtaJida. IU characters are the same as those of Patdope, except- 

 ing that the head is completely feathered, and that there is no naked- 

 ness about the throat or round the eyes. 



O. Matmot, Pluuumtu ifolmol, Omcl., Phatianut Pan-aqua, Lath. 

 Colour red-brown, bronzed above. Tail moderate. It inhabits 

 Guyana. 





../ iMmvt. 



M. Ooudot describes a new species from Santa-Pe* de Bogota, which 

 M. I. nmn names Ortatida Ootdatii. The bird it appears Is fonml in 

 Uw SUM places with the Pnttopt Ab*rri. Total length 23 inches, 



of which the tail U 9 inches. Feet red ; tarsus 2 inches 5 lines ; 

 middle toe 2 inches 4 lines, the claw being 64 lines (French). The 

 bill is blackish, brown at its point; the upper mandible 1 inch 

 5 lines; cere and naked membrane round the eyes blue. All the 

 upper plumage brown, with deep green reflections, or rather of a very 

 deep greenish. Feathers of the throat gray. Bottom of the neck, 

 belly, and abdomen, as well as the thighs, covered with ruddy. No 

 crest nor nakedness about the throat. No fold of the trachea in either 

 sex. It is found in the mountains of Quin.Hu. 



M. Lesson observes that this bird approaches nearly to the last, but 

 U clearly distinguishable from it, especially by the trachea, which doe* 

 not descend upon the abdomen. 



Opitthocomiu, Hofim. (Hoazin, Buff. ; Orthororyt, VieilL). Bill thick, 

 robust, short, convex, bent at the point, which is suddenly compressed, 

 furnished with diverging bristles at the base, which is dilated later- 

 ally ; lower mandible strong, terminated in an angle ; edges denteUted 

 towards the origin. Nostrils mesial on the surface of the bill, pierced 

 (de part en part), covered above by a membrane. Feet robust and 

 muscular ; tarsus shorter than the middle toe, the lateral toes long, 

 equal, entirely divided ; sole broad ; toes bordered with rudiments 

 of membranes. Wings moderate, the first quill very short, the four 

 following graduated, and the sixth the longest Tail-feathers ten. 



0. criitatta. This species, which appears to be the only one 

 belonging to the genus, is the Hoatzin and Hoactzin of Hernandez ; 

 who describes it as an inhabitant of warm districts, where it was seen 

 sitting on trees by the sides of rivers, and as having received its name 

 from a supposed similarity of the shrieking cry of the bird to the 

 intonation of the word ' hoatzin.' Hernandez relates some strange 

 stories of cures effected by its bones and by a suffitus of its feathers ; 

 but says that the bird is deemed inauspicious by the natives. Sonnini 

 states that it is known in Guyana by the name of Saga, 



noaxin (Ofttthotomui criitatta). 



Tin- Hoazin* are said to live in pairs or in small troops, consisting 

 of from six to eight individuals, in the flooded savannahs, which they 

 prefer, and where they seek for their food the leaves of the Arum 

 arboretcrn*. Their flesh is not considered good, having a strong smell 

 of Castoreiim about it. These birds are by no means timorous. In 

 stature and gait they resemble the peacock. 



Megapoditu. Bill sleuder, straight, as wide as it U high, and 

 flattened above at the base : upper mandible longer than the lower, 

 nlightly curved at its extremity ; lower mandible straight, the point 

 hidden by the edges of the upper mandible. Nostrils suboval, open, 

 placed nearer to the point than to the base of the bill ; nasal fosse 

 long, covered by a membrane furnished with small feathers. Space 

 round the eye naked, head and neck well feathered. Feet large and 

 strong, placed far backwards; tarsus large and long, and covered 

 with large scales, compressed posteriorly ; four very elongated toes, 

 the three anterior ones nearly equal, united at their bases by a small 

 membrane, which is more apparent between the inner and middle toe 

 than between it and the outer one ; posterior toe horizontal, touching 

 the ground throughout iU length ; claws very long, very strong, 

 flattened above, very little curved, triangular, obtuse at the point, 

 nearly like those of Menura. Wings moderate, concave, rounded ; 

 third and fourth quills the longest. Tail small, wedge-shaped, scarcely 

 exceeding the wings in length, and formed of twelve feathers. (Ouoy 

 and Oaimard, with slight alteration.) 



if. Duperreyii. In size hardly so large as a partridge. Tarsi less 

 elevated than they are in M. Prtycineth and M. rubripa. The bird 

 is moreover altogether better proportioned. Total length, from the 

 extremity of the bill to that of the wings, which are longer than the 

 tail, rnther less than a foot (French). Tawi strong, covered with 



