276 ORALLY. PALAMEDEAD.E. 



most singular forms of animal and vegetable life, 

 the Horned Screamer raises its extraordinary and 

 startling voice at intervals above the incessant din 

 of mingled cries, the croaking of myriads of frogs, 

 and the ringing of insects. This wild scream, from 

 which it derives its name, is said by Marcgrave to 

 consist of the syllables vyhou, vyhou, uttered with 

 a loud, clear, and shrill intonation. 



The use of the long, slender, pointed horn with 

 which the Screamer's forehead is furnished, is not 

 apparent : Mr. Swainson believes that it is move- 

 able at the base. There can, however, as Mr. 

 Martin observes, be no possibility of mistaking the 

 use of the shoulder-spurs. Snakes of various size, 

 all rapacious, and all to be dreaded, abound in its 

 haunts, and these formidable weapons enable the 

 bird to defend itself and its young against the 

 assaults of such enemies. If not attacked, how- 

 ever, the Screamer is an inoffensive bird, of shy 

 but gentle manners. The male is contented with 

 a single mate, and their conjugal union is said to 

 be broken only by death. 



Some writers have asserted that the Screamer 

 feeds on reptiles ; but it would rather appear, that 

 it confines itself to the leaves and seeds of aquatic 

 plants, to obtain which it walks on the matted 

 floating masses of vegetation, or wades in the 

 shallows. Its flight, as might be expected from 

 the length and pointed character of the wings, is 

 sweeping and powerful; on the ground its gait 

 is stately, its head proudly erected, whence, pro- 

 bably, it was regarded by the older travellers, as 

 allied to the Eagle. 



The nest of this singular bird is made on the 

 ground at the root of a tree, in which it lays two 



