MUSEUM OF ANIMATED NATURE. 



[CURASSOWS. 



featliera, which are »liort and hidden, are black. 

 Length ten inches. The female wants the crest, 

 but possesses the hair-hke appendiiges of the fore- 

 head. Tlie liead and neck are deep brown ; the 

 whole body uniform ems* ereen ; the winpj of a 

 ruddy brown waved with dark biown. Of the pe- 

 culiar habits of this species little is correctly known, 



1780.— Thk Tataupa 



(TImmim Talnupa, Sw.). Tlie Tinamous, or Ynam- 

 bus,as Azara calls them, are peculiar (o tropical Ame- 

 rica. Thev are distinguished bv a slout form of body, 

 a depressed bill, broader than hit;h, with the nostiils 

 lateral, medial, and o))en. The hind-toe is a mere 

 rudiment ; the tail is extremely short, and concealed 

 by the rump-feathers ; the \vin<;s are short. Mr. 

 Swainson observes that the appearance of these 

 birds reminds us of the bustard!!, which they pro- 

 bably represent in the New World. Their flesh he 

 describes, from personal experience, as infinitely 

 superior, both in flavour and whiteness, to that of 

 the partridge or pheasant. " We believe," he adds, 

 "that these birds never perch, as some suppose, but 

 that they live entirely among herhane in the more 

 open tracts of the interior." Mr. Darwin, who met 

 with a species of this genus near Maldonadu. in a 

 district covered with green turf, but wearisome 

 from its sameness, says. '• We everywhere saw preat 

 numbers of part ridges (Tinamous), Tinan-.iisnifi'scens. 

 These birds do not go in coveys, nor do they conceal 

 themselves like the English kind. It appears a 

 verj' silly bird. A man on horseback, by riding 

 round and round in a circle, or rather in a spire, so 

 as to approach closer each time, may knock on the 

 head as many as he pleases. The more common 

 method is to catch them with a running noose, or 

 little lasso, made of the stem of an ostrich's feather 

 fastened '\o the end of a long stick. A boy on a 

 quiet old horse will frequently thus catch thirty or 

 loity in a day. Ttie flesh of this bird, when cooked, 

 is delicately white.'' In the Pampas the same tra- 

 veller asrain met with Tinamous of two species, as 

 large as hen-pheasants, which, with a parliidge-like 

 bird. Eudromia eleeans, were the prey of a small 

 species of fox in great numbers. 



Mr. Swainson describes the species, of which our 

 pictorial specimen is a representation, as being 

 of a dusky rufous colour above, the head and neck 

 dusky black ; the chin white ; the throat, neck, and 

 breast cinereous; the under parts whitish; the 

 flanks rufous black ; the feathei-s margined with 

 white; bill and irides red. Length eight and a 

 quarter inches. It is a native of Dahia, and very 

 rare, or common only in remote and select districts. 

 It is the smallest of its tribe. 



Family CHACID.E (CURASSOWS). 



The Cura-ssows (including the Guans and Hoatzins) 

 arc all natives of South America, and many approach 

 the turkey in magnitude. The hind-toe, instead of 

 being articulated high on the tareus. as in Rasorial 

 birds generally, is on a level with the rest, 

 and adapts the feet for arboreal habits; legs 

 spurless. The tail is ample, and composed of 

 stiff feathers. In several species, as in the galeated 

 curassow, the guan, the rasor billed curassow, and 

 others, the windpipe makes one, two, or even three 

 deep folds between the skin and muscles of the breast 

 before passing into the cavity of the chest. Berries 

 and various sorts of grain constitute the food of 

 these birds, and they are remarkable for lameness, 

 becoming easily domesticated. Their flesh in deli- 

 cacy and whiteness surpasses that of the fowl or 

 pheasant. 



In many parts of South America, says Mr. Ben- 

 nett, these birds" have long been reclaimed, and it 

 is really surprising, considering the extreme fami- 

 liarity of their manners, and the facility with which 

 they appear to pass from a state of nature to the 

 tameness of domestic fowls, that they have not yet 

 been introduced into the poultry-yards of Europe. 

 That with proper treatment they would speedily 

 become habituated to the climate, we have no reason 

 to doubt : on the contrary, numerous examples have 

 shown that they thrive well even in its northern 

 parts, and M. Temminck informs us that they have 

 been, once at least, thoroughly acclimated in Hol- 

 land, where they were as prolific in their domesti- 

 cated state as any of our common poulliy. The 

 establishment, however, in which this had been 

 effected was broken up by the civil commotions 

 which followed in the train of the French revolution, 

 and the results of much labour lost by its complete 

 dispersion." 



1781. — Thk Crksted Cukassow 

 (Cru.T nkclor). In the genus Crax the bill is very 

 deep and arched above ; surroimded at the base with 

 a membrane. Lore naked; head crested; tail- 

 feathers fourteen. 



The crested curassow is a native of the forests of 

 Mexico, Guiana, and Brazil ; in Guiana particularly 

 it is so abundant, that Sonnini regards it as an un- 



failing source of supply to the traveller who has to 

 trust to his gun. These birds congregate together 

 in large troops, and are so unsuspicious that they 

 will remain ouielly perched on the branches of 

 trees whilst the gun makes havoc amongst their 

 numbers. In districts, however, which are well 

 frequented, they are more shy and mistrustful, ever 



I keeping on the alert to avoid the pursuit of the 



I sportsman. They build laige nests on the trees, 

 constructing them of sticks and long herbage, and 

 lining them with grasses and leaves. The eggs are 

 from five to eight in number, and resemble those 

 of a fowl, but have a thicker shell and are of larger 



! size. This species has bred in Holland, and is com- 

 mon in a domestic state in the Dutch settlements of 



' Berbice, Rssequibo, Demerara, and elsewhere ; and 

 requires but little care. In aviaries, according to 

 our observations, it suffers, as do the rest of the 

 group, from wet or damp, which occasions mortifi- 

 cation and consequent loss o J" the toes. Plenty of 

 room, a dry soil, with trees on which to perch, and 

 a sheltered situation, are essentials in all endeavours 

 to naturalize this valuable bird. In size the crested 

 curassow equals a motlerate turkey. With the ex- 

 ception of the abdominal region, which is white, 

 the whole plumage is rich black with a gloss of 

 green. The cere and skin round the eyes are bright 

 yellow. The crest consists of feathers about three 

 inches long, curled forwards, of a velvety appear- 

 ance, and capable of being raised or depressed at 

 will. 



1782. — ^The Galeated Curassow 



(Ourax Pauxi). Le Hooco de Mexique, Biiffon. 



In the genus Ourax the base of the upper man- 

 dible is dilated into a sort of homy elevated casque 

 surmounting the top of the head. 



The galeated curassow frequents in flocks the fo- 

 rests of Mexico, and perches on the trees, but, as is 

 stated, makes its nest on the ground ; and the young 

 are led by the female parent, in the same manner 

 as a hen leads her brood. The young are at first 

 fed with worms, larva-, and insects, and afterwards 

 pick up grain, fruits, berries, &c. Like the preced- 

 ing, this species is easily domesticated, and is one of 

 those which bred in Holland in the menagerie of M. 

 Ameshoff. Size, that of a small turkey. Head and 

 neck covered with short velvety feathers of a deep 

 black; all the rest of the plumage (with the ex- 

 ception of the feathers of the abdomen, which are 

 white) brilliant black with a gloss of green : tail 

 tipped with white ; legs red ; bill bright red. 



1783.— The Crested Guan 



{Penelnpe cristata). In the genus Peneloae the bill 

 is moderate and convex, with a naked basal skin and 

 lore. Under the throat a naked skin capable of 

 being inflated. Tail-feathers twelve. 



The crested guan, called Jacu (pronounced Yacoo) 

 in Brazil, as it is said from its cry, inhabits Guiana, 

 Brazil, &c. ; it tenants the woods, sometimes associ- 

 ated in large flocks, passing the greater portion of 

 their existence on the topmost branches of the trees, 

 where it builds its nest. They feed upon seeds and 

 fruits, which, like the pigeons, they search for on the 

 ground ; and, as in the case of those birds, pair 

 together with strict constancy. Their flight is heavy 

 and laboured. Of their flesh, those who have par- 

 taken of it speak very highly. As the conformation 

 of the trachea would lead us to suspect, the voice of 

 these birds is loud and harsh, and when uttered by 

 numbers, in concert, resounds far through the wood- 

 land wilderness. 



The crested guan has been bred in Holland. 



In size this bird equals a fowl, but is longer, mea- 

 suring thirty inches, of which the tail is fourteen. 

 The whole of the upper surface is dusky brownish 

 black, with a gloss of olive green. The head is sur- 

 mounted by a tufted crest. The throat-fold of skin 

 is scarlet; the naked cheeks are purplish ; the chest 

 is regularly spotted with dashes of white on a dusky 

 brown ground, which latter colour prevails on the 

 under sxuTace. The female has a universal tinge of 

 reddish, but in other respects lesembles the male. 



1784. — The Mot.mot Guan 



(Orlalida Motmot). In the genus Ortalida the 

 characters are the same as in Penelope, excepting 

 that the head is completely feathered, and there are 

 no naked thioat-folds of skin. This species is found 

 in Guiana, and agrees with the crested guan in ge- 

 neral habits, but we know le.ss respecting it than 

 respecting other species of this family. Its general 

 colour is reddish brown with a bronzy gloss above. 



1785. — The IIoatzin 



(Oj>istliocomvs Crislaliis). Hoatzin and Iloactzin of 

 Hernandez ; Houzin, Buft'on. 



In the genus Opisthoomus the bill is short, robust, 



and convex; the feet are large and strong; the 



tail-fcalhers ten. 



! The Hoatzin, which according to Sonnini, is known 



in Guiana by the name of Sasa, was seen by Her- 



nandez sitting on trees by the sides of rivers, and is 

 said to prefer the flooded savannahs to higher 

 grounds, and to live in pairs or sojhII companies of 

 six or eight individuals. It feeds nuich on the 

 leaves of the Arum arborescens. The flesh of this 

 species is not in high repute, and has a rank musky 

 flavour and smell, whence probably medicinal pro- 

 perties have been attrihuted to it. The natives, ac- 

 cording to Hernandez, deem this bird inauspicious. 

 In gait and stature it bears much resemblance to the 

 peacock. 



Family MEGAPODID.^ (MEGAPODES). 

 The birds of this family are peculiar to Australia 

 and the Papuan Islands (New Guinea, &c.\ and 

 till Mr Gould's personal researches in the former 

 country brought their native habits and manners to 

 light, nothing was known respecting them. We 

 have made reference to the Eccaleobion, to the PJgyp- 

 tian egg-ovens, and to M. R6aumur'» manure-pits 

 lor hatching eggs. In these birds, strange to say, we 

 behold examples of instinct-directed ovcn-framers, 

 lor they do not incubate like other birds, but deposit 

 their eggs in mounds of earth and vegetable matter 

 which they have collected and amassed, and in 

 which by the heat generated they are hatched. 

 By the kindness of Mr. Gould we have been 

 favoured with an inspection of these birds, their 

 skeletons, young, and eggs. The skeletons, which 

 have the characters of those of gallinaceous 

 birds, are verv extraordinary, and are adapted 

 to the eggs, which are of enormous size, those of 

 the common Megapode exceeding the eggs of the 

 swan. The eggs of Tallegalla are smooth and white, 

 about the size of those of the pelican ; those of Lei- 

 poa and Megapodius are covered with a sort of epi- 

 dermis, or sandy-coloured chalky layer, which is rea- 

 dily removed from the true shell beneath. With re- 

 spect to the size of these eggs, the intent is evident — 

 they are destined to imprison and afford nutriment to 

 the chick till it has grown to a comparatively large 

 size and acquired great strength ; and when it 

 breaks the .strong shell, it emerges completely clad 

 in perfect full-grown feathers, and works its way 

 through the substance of the mound, in which the 

 egg was deeply buried. The feet of these birds are 

 of immense size and strength, and armed with 

 strong rasorial claws ; the wings are rounded. 



1786. — The Wattled Talegalla, or Brush- 

 Turkey 



(Taleffalla Lalhami, Gould). New Holland Vul- 

 ture, Latham ; Cafheturus Auslralis, Swainson ; 

 Meleagris Lindesargii, Jameson; Brusli-Tuikey of 

 the Colonists; Weelah of the aborigines of the 

 Namoi. The Wattled Talegalla is a native of va- 

 rious parts of New South Wales ; in the dense brushes 

 of Manning and Clarence it is plentiful ; it was 

 found in the scrubby gullies and sides of the lower 

 hills that branch off from the great range into the 

 interior, on the Brezi range to the north of the 

 Liverpool Plains, and was abundant on all the 

 hills on both sides of the Namoi. In its habits it is 

 gregarious, moving about in small companies, like 

 many other gallinaceous biids, and is at the same 

 time very shy and distrustful. When it is disturbed, 

 it readily eludes pursuit by the facility with which 

 it runs through the tangled brush. If hard pressed, 

 or where rushed upon by their great enemy, the na- 

 tive dog, the whole company spring upon the lower- 

 most bough of some neighbouring tree, and, by 

 a succession of leaps from branch to branch, as- 

 cend to the top, and either perch there or fly off to 

 another pait of the brush. They resort also to the 

 branches of trees as a shelter from the sun in the 

 middle of the day, a habit which Mr. Gould notices 

 as greatly tending to their destruction ; for the 

 sportsman is enabled to take a sure aim, and the 

 birds will allow a succession of shots to be fired till 

 they are all brought down. 



But the most remarkable circumstance connected 

 with the economy of this biitl is its nidification, for 

 it does not hatch its eggs by incubation. It collects 

 together a great heap of decaying vegetables as the 

 place of deposit of its eggs, thus making a hotbed, 

 arising from the decomposition of the collected 

 matter, by the heat of which the young are hatched. 

 Mr. Gould describes this heap as the result of seve- 

 ral weeks' collection by the birds previous to the 

 period of laying, as varying in quantity from two to 

 lour cart-loads, and as of a perl'eclly pyramidical 

 form. This mound, he states, is not the work of a 

 single pair of birds, but is the result of the united 

 labour of many : tlie same site ajiptared to Mr. 

 Gould to he resorted to for several years in succes- 

 sion, from the great size and entire decomposition 

 of the lower part, the birds adding a fresh supply of 

 materials on each occasion previous to laying. 



"The mode," says Mr. Gould in conlinuatinn, 

 "in which the materials composing these mounds 

 are accumulated is equally singular, the bird never 

 using its bill, hut always grasping a quantity in its 

 foot, throwing it backwards to one common centre. 



