RED-BILLED CURASSOW. 187 



capable of being acclimated in Europe, with any of 

 the other curassows. M. Temminck enumerates them 

 among the birds \vhich bred abundantly in the me- 

 nagerie of M. AmeshofiL, prior to the breaking out of 

 the French revolution." 



Red-billed Curassow. 



Ourax erythrorynchus, Sw. 



Glossy blue black : belly and under tail covers rufous : 

 head with short frontal crest ; bill and feet bright red. 



Crax Mitu, Linn., Auct. Crajt Alector (3, Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. 

 623. Pauxi Mitu, Temminck, Gall. iii. 8. pi. 4. f. 2. 

 the bill. Ourax Mitu, Cm., Temm. PI. Col. Crested Cu- 

 rassow, Crested Pauxi, of British Authors. 



Specimens of this rare species were found by Mr. 

 Schomberg in the interior parts of Guiana, bordering 

 the River Tokoto ; and he subsequently had an op- 

 portunity, as he informs us, of observing it in a 

 domesticated state at the" residence of one of the 

 planters. It was so perfectly tame as to v/alk about 

 the room, and receive its food from the hand of its 

 owner. It took great pleasure in contemplating itself 

 in the mirror which was placed in the room, and 

 seemed to turn round in admiration of its own beau- 

 tiful glossy plumage and graceful motions. Towards 

 the other domesticated birds of its master, it asserted a 

 kind of sovereignty to which they all appeared to 

 submit. In a wild state, its note resembles a low 

 moan, which is heard from the forest soon after sun- 

 rise. This notice is very interesting, particularly as it 

 relates to a bird of whose manners nothing has yet 

 been recorded beyond the information of its inhabiting 

 Brazil ; from which part, however, we have never seen 

 or heard of a specimen. 



The plumage is sufficiently described in the above 

 specific character ; although it may be added, that the 

 Guiana specimens do not exhibit any white tips on the tail 

 feathers. This circumstance, together with the absence 



