10 THE WORLD'S BIRDS. 



QARIAMAS (Cariamida). 



DIAGNOSIS. Long-legged birds, with short curved bill, 

 short wings, and long tail. 



SIZE. About that of a common heron or rather less. 



FORM. Bill short, curved, with basal nostrils and 

 corner of mouth below front of eye ; legs long, 

 bare above hock, with three short toes, webbed 

 at the base, in front, and a very short, elevated, 

 useless hind-toe ; wings short and rounded, tail 

 long and rounded. 



PLUMAGE, ETC. Loose and soft, finely pencilled, grey 

 or brown in colour, wing-primaries conspicuously 

 banded. No sex-difference, young like adults. 



YOUNG. Hatched downy, the down being variegated. 



NEST. Open, in a tree or low bush, or on the ground. 



EGGS. Two ; pale, with reddish spots. 



COURTSHIP. In the Common Qariama, said to be like 

 that of a bustard. 



FOOD. Chiefly animal insects, mice, etc., with some 

 berries. In feeding, they hold a large object down 

 with one foot while tearing it. They kill prey by 

 seizing it with the bill and dashing it down. 



GAIT. A walk ; they can also run rapidly. 



FLIGHT. Not long sustained. They seldom fly except 

 up to a perch. 



NOTE. A repeated scream, uttered with the head 

 thrown back. 



DISPOSITION AND HABITS. They are courageous and 

 become very tame. They do not bathe, but dust 

 themselves, and have a curious habit of lying over 

 on the side or even back, like quadrupeds. Al- 

 though spending most of their time on the ground, 

 they roost on a perch at night. 



ECONOMIC QUALITIES. They are useful vermin- 

 destroyers. 



CAPTIVITY. They do well in captivity, feeding on raw 



