JUNGLE LIFE AT AREMU. 



335 



seem rather hit or miss, there being no regular sequence or 

 similarity of the utterances. Several times these sounds are 

 interrupted by the bird stopping, appearing to pick up 

 something, and then to dash its head violently against its 

 back, producing a low champing sound which seems to 

 excite the females, who otherwise are wholly indifferent. 

 Try as I may I can make nothing of this action, and later it 



SECOND PHASE OF CURASSOW STRUTTING. 



FIG. 137. Standing with Pebble in Beak, striking the Head against 

 the Back. 



is an indiscreet, impatient movement of mine at such a 

 juncture that ultimately frightens the birds and ends my 

 observations. I was delighted therefore when observing the 

 Curassow in the north to see the bird repeatedly pick up peb- 

 bles or a feather or twig and champ them in its bill just as 

 the wild bird did. The clicking sound resulted only when a 

 hard object was picked up, but the dull thuds were made 

 by the skull of the bird striking violently against its dorsal 



