THE CHAJA, OR CRESTED SCREAMER. 



The Chuja and its young. 



Tre Chaja, or Crested Screamer, which is figured in the cut above, is destitute of the long, slender horn 

 on the head, but has the back of the head ornamented with narrow, dishevelled feathers, two inches and a 

 half in length ; the beginning of this plume is between the eye and the beak, so that the crest encircles 

 the head like a diadem, and hangs down behind. The general clothing of the head and neck consists of 

 down, with the exception of a naked band towards the lower part of the latter; this down is of a pale 

 lead-color, the naked collar is flesh-color, and below it is a collar of black down ; the general plumage is of 

 a whitish-grey, the wings and tail being blackish-brown. Length of bird thirty-one inches. It is found 

 in Paraguay. 



The Chaja lives singly or in pairs, but is sometimes seen in flocks ; it frequents morasses, and the low, 

 marshy borders of rivers ; it does not swim, but wades in quest of aquatic and other plants, on which 

 alone it feeds. Azara observes that he has seen Chajas brought up from the nest in various houses in the 

 country, and that they were as domesticated as the poultry. The same writer also informs us that the 

 Chaja perches on the tops of the loftiest trees; on the ground it walks with the body horizontal, the head 

 and neck raised vertically, the beak being kept rather down. Its cry is loud and shrill, and is uttered not 

 only during the day, but the night also ; that of the male is represented by the word Chaja, that of the 

 female Chajali, and they respond to each other's call. The wings are armed with double spurs, which, 

 with the diadem-like crest, the size, the stately air and astounding cry of the bird, might lead to the idea 

 of its being a bird of prey ; whereas it is gentle and quiet. Its length of wing enables it to fly well, and 

 it has an apparatus of extensive air cells between the skin and the muscles of the body, which are even 

 continued down the legs to the toes. Like the vulture it wheels around in vast circles, and often rises till 

 entirely out of sight. 

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