66 ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. 



the exception of the white abdomen and under tail- 

 coverts, is of a brilHant black, exhibiting, in certain 

 positions, a sHght tinge of green. The tail-feathers 

 are tipped with white. The legs are red ; the claws 

 yellow ; and the iris brown. The bill is of a bright 

 red ; and the protuberance by which it is surmounted 

 (which is rounded in the young birds, and pear-shaped 

 with the narrow end directed forwards in the adult 

 males), is of a livid slate-colour. This remarkable 

 projection is more than two inches in length when fully 

 developed ; it is hard and bony externally, and inter- 

 nally cellular, the cells communicating with the cavity 

 of the mouth. It is not visible until after the first 

 moulting, when it begins to make its appearance in the 

 form of a small tubercle, and attains a much larger 

 size in the male than in the female. In other respects 

 there is little difference between the sexes; and the 

 young are only distinguished by a browner tinge. The 

 windpipe descends for a considerable distance in front 

 of the sternum, immediately beneath the skin, and 

 makes no less than three distinct convolutions before 

 passing into the cavity of the chest. 



These birds are natives of Mexico, and live in large 

 bands, perching upon the trees, but more commonly 

 building their nests upon the ground. The females 

 lead their young about in the same manner as the hen 

 pheasant or the common hen. They subsist at first 

 upon worms and insects; but as they grow older they 

 add to these animal productions the fruits and seeds of 

 vegetables. They are easily domesticated, even when 

 taken adult ; and appear to be equally capable of being 

 acclimated in Europe with any of the other species. 

 M. Temminck enumerates them among the birds vvliich 

 bred abundantly in the Menagerie of M. Ameshoff prior 

 to the breakino- out of the French revolution. 



