292 



THE AMERICAN POULTERER'S COMPANION. 



THE CAPEECAILLIE, OB COCK OF THE WOOD. 



short velvety feathers of a deep black ; all the 

 rest of the plumage, with the exception of the 

 feathers of the abdomen, which are white, are 

 black with a gloss of green ; tail tipped with 

 white ; legs red ; bill bright red. 



All the hoccos or Curassow (crax), which are 

 derived from their native forests of Guiana, read- 

 ily unite with one another, giving rise to a prog- 

 eny that is reproductive without end. "It is 

 probable," observes a judicious ornithologist, 

 " that if the intercourse were repeated in a va- 

 riety of ways, it would be possible to cultivate, 

 by suitable care, many different races of these 

 birds, whose descendants might be susceptible 

 of multiplying, ad infinitum, and branching out 

 into a number of singular varieties, under the 

 superintendence of man. 



" In fact, the Dutch menageries have already 

 obtained the prolific hybrids of these species 

 (crax alector, c. rubra, and c. globicerd) ; and it 

 has been observed that these mixed birds have 

 their plumage more varied and far more agree- 

 able to the eye than the uniform livery of the 

 adult individuals of the pure race." 



Here, then, we have a family of wild birds, 

 recently reclaimed from their native forests, so 



as to leave us no possible question of their origin 

 and specific diversity ; and by intermixing these 

 species in a state of domestication, we have pass- 

 ing under our eyes, as it were, the identical se- 

 ries of phenomena those very same changes 

 which are so remarkable and familiar in the 

 common fowl. 



THE CAPERCAILLIE, OB COCK OF THE WOOD. 



This bird is common in most parts of North- 

 ern Europe, and was once to be found in Scot- 

 land and Ireland. The male is a large bird, 

 almost equaling a turkey in size, but the female 

 is considerably smaller. In the early spring, 

 before the snow has left the ground, this singu- 

 lar bird commences his celebrated "play." This 

 play is confined to the males, and usually takes 

 place in the early dawn of day to sunrise, or 

 from a little after sunset until it is quite dark, 

 and intended to give notice of their presence 

 to the females who are in the neighborhood. 

 "During the play," says Lloyd, "his neck is 

 stretched out, his tail is raised and spread like 

 a fan, his wings droop, his feathers are ruffled 

 up, and, in short, he much resembles in appear- 

 ance an angry turkey-cock. He begins his play 



