24 THE WORLD'S BIRDS. 



INCUBATION. About a month. 



COURTSHIP. The male leans his head back and raises 

 his tail, but does not spread it. 



FOOD. Leaves, fruit, nuts, insects, etc. They feed 

 partly in the trees, and partly on the ground, where 

 they scratch like fowls. 



GAIT. A walk or run ; they are very active among the 

 boughs. 



FLIGHT. Heavy and direct ; not protracted very far. 



NOTE. A whistle or cackle. 



DISPOSITION AND HABITS. Intelligent and wary ; de- 

 cidedly inclined to be spiteful. They bite hard, 

 besides striking with the feet. 



ECONOMIC QUALITIES. Their flesh is good eating, and 

 they are therefore esteemed as game. 



CAPTIVITY. They do well, but seldom breed ; they are 

 very tame nevertheless. 



DISTRIBUTION AND IMPORTANT SPECIES. The species 

 of this family about fifty are found in warm 

 parts of America only, in wooded country. There 

 are three sub-families : the Curassows (Cracince), 

 with stout bills, and all of large size ; the Derbian 

 Curassow (Oreophasince), with medium bill and 

 a stout horn on the forehead ; and the Guans 

 (Penelopina), with slight bills and no protuberance 

 thereon. The Curassows are often seen in cap- 

 tivity in menageries, and several are familiar, 

 especially the Globose Curassow (Crax alector), 

 black in the male, with a yellow knob on the bill ; 

 brown in the female ; of the Guans one, the 

 Chacalacca (Ortalis vetula), a drab bird of the size 

 of a hen pheasant, is well known in Mexico and 

 Texas. The family is closely allied to the game- 

 birds. 



