362 GRALLyE. RALLID^E. 



We sometimes hear the harsh sounds proceeding 

 from the forest, even after night has established its 

 dominion, and hence, probably, it has been con- 

 sidered a nocturnal bird ; I suspect, however, that 

 these cries are not the accompaniments of activity, 

 but the harbingers of repose, emitted while sitting 

 on the roosting tree, or while flying to and fro in 

 preparation for alighting ; the cries which are heard 

 at a rather later hour marking, probably, the awak- 

 ing from the first sleep, as they soon relapse into 

 silence. 



In the woods of the parish of St. David's these 

 birds are said to be abundant, as also in the moun- 

 tainous districts of St. Ann's, St. Dorothy's, and 

 the Coona-coonas. Swift of foot, if not of wing, 

 the Aramus does not confine itself, however, to one 

 or two localities, but ranges, with rapid sidelong 

 strides, the lonely woods from the mountain-tops 

 to the mangrove morasses of the shore. Solitary 

 and shy, it is a difficult bird to approach, but when 

 obtained is esteemed by some as " the best wild- 

 fowl of the country." " The flesh of this bird," says 

 Dr. Chamberlaine, " acquires, about the termina- 

 tion of the year, that plumpness, which gives it 

 a claim to be placed in the catalogue of edible 

 birds. It is then esteemed fit for the table, and 

 may be dressed in two ways ; viz., in fricassee, or 

 roasted like the Guinea-birds, and smothered, after 

 being cut up, in a rich salade." Mr. Hill observes 

 of the specimen which came into his possession; 

 " I directed the whole of the muscles on either 

 side of the sternum to be cut out and cooked. I 



