LIVING IN THE SOCIETY’S GARDENS. 285 
“TJ first saw this beautiful species of Curassow in a Peruvian’s house, at Santa Maria 
on the Huallaga, where it was running about along with the common fowls. The bird 
appeared to be lively and active, and would fight the dogs and fowls, driving them out 
of the house. A very curious circumstance is that when one of the hens commenced 
sitting, the bird would drive her off the nest and take her place; this I witnessed 
myself: the attempt at incubation, however, was not of long duration ; for the Curassow 
destroyed the eggs, as I was informed afterwards by the owner. 
“T ascertained that the bird came from the Rio Pastaza; and I believe it is not 
uncommon on that river and throughout the dense forests on the north-west bank of 
the Amazons. I have. often heard this bird in the middle of the night near Nauta. 
“The Peruvians call it the Monte Piyu. 
“The habits of this bird render it most difficult to obtain, from its living in holes 
or burrows in the ground. The Indians remain in the forest all night at the place 
where it is first heard. I was informed by many of the Peruvians, whose word I could 
rely upon, that these birds come out at night, and ascend to the top branches of the 
lofty trees in search of food. The Indians are on the look-out, and shoot them just 
before sunrise as they are descending to return to their places of concealment, where 
they pass the day.”—E. B. 
Natterer (Pelzeln, Orn. Bras. p. 288) gives the same account of this bird’s nocturnal 
habits, but says nothing of its living underground. 
Genus III. Mitva. 
1. Mirva tuBEeRosa. (Plate LI.) . 
Craz mitu, Linn. 8. N. i. p. 270. 
Pauzi mitu, Temm. Pig. et Gall. iii. pp. 8, et 685; Gray, Gen. of B. iii. p. 487, et Hand-l. ii. p. 254. 
Mitu braziliensis, Reichenb. Tauben, p. 137. 
Ourax mitu, Cuv. Reg. An. 1817,1. p. 441 ; Temm. Pl. Col. 153; Bennett, Gard. & Men. ii. p. 129; 
Pelz. Orn. Bras. p. 288. 
Urax mitu, Burm. Syst. Ueb. ii. p. 349. 
Craz tuberosa, Spix, Av. Bras. ii. p. 51, t. 67 a. 
Mitua tuberosa, Bates, Nat. on the Amazons, ii. p. 112, et ed. 2, p.262; Scl. et Salv. P.Z.S. 1870, 
p. 520, et 1873, p. 307, et Nomencl. p. 135. 
Urax tuberosa, Burm. Syst. Ueb. iii. p. 348. 
Ouraz erythrorhynchus, Swains. Classif. of B. ii. p. 352, et An. in Men. p. 187. 
Urax erythrorhynchus, Cab. in Schomb. Guian. iii. p. 747. 
Nigra purpurascente perfusa: ventre imo castaneo: caude apice albo: loris dense 
plumosis: pilei plumis elongatis: rostri culmine valde elevato, antice cultrato, postice 
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