166 



Crcarfurg of Natural $?tstnry ; 



invariably white. The females have a smal- 

 ler crest, and their feathers are more dull. 



They associate in small flocks, and at night 

 roost on high trees : their food consists of 

 maize, rice, bananas, and other fruits. The 

 egg is about the size of that of the turkey, 

 and is of a pure white. Native of Guiana, 

 Mexico, and Brazil. 



The RED CUKASSOW. (Crax rubra.) In 

 size this bird may be compared with the 

 turkey, being about two feet six or eight 

 inches in length. It has a large, strong bill ; 

 and a crest composed of twisted and curled 

 feathers, broad at the top, and tipped with 

 black : the front and sides of the head, and 

 the top of the neck, are pure white, the 

 feathers being marked at their tips with a 

 black fringe : the breast and the upper parts 

 of the tail are reddish, the under parts a 

 brighter red than the upper : the feet and 

 the bill are of horn colour. The young of 

 this species are beautifully varied : the sides 

 of the head and top of the neck are barred 

 with black and white ; the upper part of 

 the plumage, as well as the tail-feathers, 

 are striated with broad, transverse, red and 

 white bands, margined with a black line : 

 as the bird increases in age these bands 

 gradually disappear, and the feathers of the 

 crest, which are at first straight, begin to 

 twist and curl. In their native country 

 these birds are easily tamed, and readily 

 associate with other poultry ; but although 

 they are here common enough in menageries, 

 they have never been known to breed. 

 Temminck, however, says, they have once 

 at least been thoroughly acclimated in Hol- 

 land, where they were as prolific in their 

 domesticated state as any of our common 

 poultry : and Mr. Bennet, alluding to the 

 same subject, observes, " It may not be too 

 much to expect that the Zoological Society 

 may be successful in perfecting what was 

 then so well begun, and in naturalizing the 

 Curassow as completely as our ancestors 

 have done the equally exotic, and, in their 

 wild state, much less familiar breeds of the 

 Turkey, the Guinea-fowl, and the Peacock." 

 Their flesh is both delicate and nutritious. 



CURCTJLIO : CITRCULIONID^E. A ge- 

 nus and family of snouted Coleopterous in- 

 sects,including the diamond beetles and other 

 splendidly coloured species ; as well as the 

 corn and nut weevils, and a variety of others 

 scarcely less destructive to grain, fruit, and 

 vegetable products in general ; several of 



which are given under their respective names. 

 M. Schonherr has published a voluminous 

 work which describes the numerous species. 

 Mr. Walton, F. L. S., has studied the British 

 Ciu'ciiiivnhlie, and published excellent papers 

 on all the species found in this country. 



CURLEW. (Numenhis.) A Grallatorial 

 bird, belonsing to the X<-<il<>i>(-itlu\ or Snipe 

 tribe, all of which inhabit the vicinity of 

 waters and marshes, and feed upon worms, 

 &c. The COMMON CUKLEW (Numenitts ar- 

 quata) measures about two feet in length ; 

 and in breadth, from tip to tip, above three 

 feet. The bill is about seven inches long, 

 of a regular curve, and blunt at the end : 

 the upper mandible is black, gradually 

 softening into brown towards the base ; the 

 under one flesh-coloured. The head, neck, 

 and wing-coverts are streaked with brown ; 

 the back and scapulars are nearly black in 

 the middle, edged and deeply indented with 

 light grey. The breast, belly, and lower 

 part of the back are of a dull white, spotted 

 with black ; the quill-feathers are black, 

 the inner webs crossed with white : tail 

 barred with black, on a white ground tinged 

 with red : thighs bare about half way above 

 the knees, of a bluish-colour : the toes are 

 thick, and slightly membranous. The female 

 makes her nest upon the ground, in a dry 

 tuft of rushes or grass ; and lays four eggs 

 of a greenish cast, spotted with brown. 



The Curlew is met with in most parts of 

 Europe. In Britain their summer haunts 

 are the large, heathy, and boggy moors, 

 where they breed ; their food consisting of 

 worms, flies, and insects, which they pick 

 out of the soft mossy ground by the marshy 

 pools. In autumn and winter they depart 

 to the sea-side in great numbers, and there 

 subsist upon worms, marine insects, small 

 crabs, snails, &c. This bird is extremely com- 

 mon in most parts of Europe, and it occurs 

 also in several parts of Asia. In the winter it 



is gregarious, and it is at all times very shy 

 and difficult to approach ; but it will soon 

 become familiar. In Scotland, from its cry 



it is called the " Whaap." [For another spe- 

 cies, see WIIIMBKEL.] 



CURSORIUS. This genus of birds in- 

 habits the hot regions of Asia and Africa ; 

 one species only, and that very rarely, 

 having been found to visit Europe. The 

 CKEAM-COLOUKKDCOUUSEU (named by Tem- 

 minck Cursorius Isabelltnus) is ten inches 

 in length ; and has a black, curved beak ; 

 the forehead, under parts of the body, back, 

 tail, and wing-coverts of a reddish cream- 

 colour ; the latter edged with grey : behind 

 the eyes a double black stripe ; the throat 

 and belly whitish ; the whole of the lateral 

 tail-feathers black towards the tip, with a 

 small spot of white in the centre of the 

 black : legs yellowish. This rare species is 

 a native of Africa ; but with its habits we 

 are unacquainted. Two only are on record 

 as seen in England : one which was shot 

 near St. Albans, in East Kent, the seat of 

 W. Hammond, Esq., Nov. 10. 1785 ; and 

 another, shot in Chamwood Forest, Leices- 

 tershire, Oct. 15. 1827. The former of these 

 was observed to run with incredible swift- 



