514. MESSRS. SCLATER AND SALVIN ON THE CRACIDZ. [June 9, 
upon Crax peruvianus of Brisson (J. ¢. p. 305), is, there can be 
little doubt, intended for the female of the present bird. 
The first author who appears to have correctly identified these 
birds as male and female is Tschudi, who, in his ‘ Fauna Peruana,’ 
accurately describes both sexes under the name Crazx temminckii, 
from specimens obtained by Deppe in Western Mexico ; but he is 
no doubt in error in supposing that this was the species that he him- 
self saw in the wood-region of Eastern Peru. 
In our first paper on the Ornithology of Guatemala we errone- 
ously called this bird Craz alector. This mistake was subsequently 
rectified, and the Central-American bird was referred to Crax glo- 
bicera, which name has generally been adopted by more recent writers 
for the Central-American bird. 
In Mr. G. R. Gray’s ‘ List of Gallinz’ this Curassow is called Craz 
blumenbachii, following Spix’s figure (Av. Bras. ii. t. 64). It is 
possible Mr. Gray may be correct in this reference, as we have seen 
Central-American specimens nearly as dark as represented in Spix’s 
figure; but if this be so, it can hardly be true, as Spix states, that 
his specimen was obtained from Rio. 
This Curassow is the only species of the genus and subfamily met 
with in America, north of Panama. We have examined a large 
number of specimens from different localities between the isthmus 
and Southern Mexico. ‘I'he male is quite constant in colour, except 
that in one Panama specimen the tail shows a very narrow margin of 
white. The female, on the contrary, is very variable, as we have 
already pointed out in our diagnosis. In some specimens the wings 
are wholly red, in others much banded with black and cinnamo- 
meous; in some specimens also the tail-bands are very slight, and 
almost evanescent ; in others they are broad and conspicuous. The 
upper portion of the back varies from black to chestnut. 
2. CRAX ALECTOR. 
Crax alector, Linn. S. N. i. p. 269; Temm. Pig. et Gall. in. 
p- 27 et p. 689; Vieill. Gall. Ois. i. p. 6, t. 199; Cab. in. Schomb. 
Guian. iil. p. 746; Reichenb. Tauben, p. 130; Bennett, Gardens & 
Men. ii. p. 9; Pelzeln, Orn. Bras. p. 286. 
Purpurascenti-nigra : ventre imo crissoque albis: criste brevis 
plumis nigris, versus apicem recurvis: loris nudis: cera et 
rostro ad basin flavis, hujus apice cerulescente: pedibus 
cornets : long. tota 35, ale 14°5, caude 13:5, tarsi 4°5. 
Fem. Mari similis, sed crista intus albo parce transfasciata. 
Hab. British Guiana (Schomb.); Rio Negro, Rio Vaupé, and 
Rio Brancho (Natt.). 
Mus. Brit., Vindob., 8.-G. 
The species most liable to be confounded with the present Curas- 
sow are Crax globicera and Crex sclateri. From both of these it is 
distinguishable by the purple tinge of its plumage, which is very 
noticeable in living specimens, but is also plainly shown in skins. 
From C. globicera it is likewise distinguishable by the naked lores 
and by the want of the protuberance on the cere ; from C. sclateri 
by the absence of the white tips to the tail-feathers and the black 
