The Sun-Bitterns 347 



are described as being very similar in color and character of markings to those of 

 a Gull or Tern, being about 2.40 by 1.85 inches, and close-grained, smooth, and 

 slightly lustrous. In color they are pale brown, much dotted, blotched, and 

 streaked with reddish umber. Of the habits of these birds in confinement their 

 owner writes as follows: "From personal observations of the two birds I have 

 had in confinement for over three years, the Kagu is fond of seclusion, but withal 

 the one I regard as the male shows fight at the slightest provocation. Holding 

 itself quite erect, with spread wings, panting breast, raised crest, and tail brought 

 almost between its legs, the aspect of the bird appears very stately when prepared 

 to give battle. A peculiarity shown when fighting is that it only attacks its 

 opponent low down, so that when one holds a hand to the height of its body, 

 it misses aim, but if held near the ground it administers a severe nip. When 

 quarreling over a delicacy, the two birds pick at each other's legs." 



More recently a correspondent of Mr. A. J. Campbell's residing in Sydney, 

 Australia, has had a chick hatched in confinement, the period of incubation being 

 thirty-six days. It is described as a fluffy ball with a big and heavy head, the 

 color being dark brown with light fawn markings. 



THE SUN-BITTERNS 



(Family Eurypygidtz) 



Coming again to South America, we have another group of remarkable 

 Crane-like birds known as the Sun-Bitterns. They are small birds, about 

 eighteen or twenty inches long, "something between a Rail and a Heron" in 

 appearance, with rather short legs, a very thin neck, and a rather large head 

 with a long, sharp-pointed bill. The wings are broad and ample and the tail 

 relatively long and composed of twelve feathers. Of the peculiar structural 

 features we may only mention that the breast-bone has a notch on each side, 

 the oil-gland is generally naked, and numerous powder-down patches are scat- 

 tered on various parts of the body. The skull shows a number of points of 

 agreement with that of the Kagu. The plumage of the Sun-Bitterns is soft, 

 the general color above being brown, variously barred and "variegated with 

 black, brown, chestnut, bay, buff, gray, and white so mottled, speckled, and 

 belted either in wave-like or zigzag forms as somewhat to resemble certain moths." 

 The upper mandible is black, and the lower one waxy yellow, while the iris is 

 red and the legs and feet yellow. Two species are known, one (Eurypyga helias) 

 found in Guiana and the interior of Brazil, and the other similar but slightly 

 larger species (E. major] in Central America and Colombia. Comparatively 

 little is known of their habits in a wild state beyond the fact that they frequent 

 the muddy and wooded banks of great rivers, especially the Orinoco, where 

 they may be seen singly or in pairs sunning themselves and spreading out the 

 beautiful plumage. They take rather kindly to captivity and are often to be 

 seen in zoological gardens, and on several occasions have made a nest and reared 



