RASORES. 



517 



merly much esteemed as food, but are now regarded merely 

 from an ornamental point of view. 



The Megapodickz, or Mound-birds, belong to India and Aus- 

 tralia, and have very large feet and long claws. They build 

 immense mounds, often six or eight feet high, and twenty or 

 thirty feet in diameter. They lay their eggs in the centre of 

 these mounds at a depth of two or three feet, and leave them 

 to be hatched by the heat produced by the fermentation of the 

 vegetable matter of the mass. 



The Craddce, or Curassows, are large heavy birds, belonging 

 to Central and South America, and to a great extent arboreal 

 in their habits. The best-known species is the Crested Curas- 

 sow (Crax alector} of Mexico and Brazil, 



Fig. 224. Columbidae. Rock-pigeon (Columba livia). 



The second sub-order of the Rasores is that of the Cohimbacei 

 or Gemitores, comprising the Doves and Pigeons, and often 

 raised to the rank of a distinct order under the name of Co- 

 lumbce. The Columbacei are separated from the more typical 

 members of the Rasores by being furnished with strong wings, 

 so as to endow them with considerable powers of flight. In 

 place, therefore, of being chiefly ground-birds, they are to a 



