278 ELEVEN WEEKS IN NOKTH-EASTERN BEAZIL. 



1 10. CARIAMA CEISTATA. 



The occurrence of the Cariama in the Sertoes of Pernambuco is a fact 

 of some interest, as it marks, I believe, at present the most northern 

 limit of this curious genus. I did not myself see the Cariama in the 

 wild state ; but I saw, at Garanhuns, one that had been captured by the 

 Indians near Aguas Bellas, a town some seventy miles further S.W. in 

 the direction of the Paulo Alfonso falls. I was also told that it occurs 

 not rarely in the open country near San Bento, another small town about 

 thirty-five miles north of Garanhuns, and, like Aguas Bellas, also in the 

 Sertoes. The Brazilian name of the Cariama is, I may observe, u Siri- 

 ema," a form also used by Burmeister in his elaborate treatise on this 

 bird. " Ema," as we shall presently see, is the name given to the Rhea 

 (H. macrorTiyncha\ which is found along with the present species in the 

 open plains of the Sertoes, and " Siri" is a diminutive of Indian extrac- 

 tion, the word thus signifying " little Ema." 



Ibis, 1881, HI- PAERA JACANA. 



The " Jaeana " (the c is soft, and the final a strongly accented) is a 

 very common and conspicuous bird in the low country near the sea, and 

 may be seen on nearly every large weed-covered pool of any extent. 

 Near Recife it might be seen in numbers on some large ponds on the 

 Beberibe road, about a mile outside the town ; and at Parahyba it was 

 equally abundant close to that place. I did not see it further inland than 

 Catende. In its actions the Ja9ana strongly resembles a Waterhen. It 

 is not apparently shy, but usually keeps well out of reach on the weeds 

 in the middle of the pond. When flying, the canary-yellow-coloured 

 primaries are very conspicuous, and, with the light colour of the soft 

 parts, greatly show off the chestnut and black plumage of the bird. 

 Near Recife I saw three or four of the young birds in down, of a mottled 

 black and white colour, walking about with their parents on the weeds. 



112. GALLLNAGO FEENATA ? 



A Snipe is not uncommon at some time of the year in the more marshy 

 districts of Pernambuco, and affords some sport to the English and other 

 residents in Recife. I saw the bird once or twice at Cabo, and between 

 Quipapa and Macuca got from a Brazilian friend a nest of two eggs, on 

 which the hen bird was sitting. Unfortunately my friend omitted to 

 shoot the bird ; but I believe there is no doubt that it belongs to the 

 present species. 



The Brazilian name is " Agaxadera." 



113. CBTPTUEUS TATAUPA. 



The " Nambu," as the present species of Tinamou is called, is not at 

 all an uncommon bird in the neighbourhood of Macuca and Garanhuns, 



