CRESTED CURASSOW. —Cra« Alcctor. 



Leaving tlie pigeons, we now come to the large and important order of birds, termed 

 scientifically the Gallinte, and, more po])iilarly, the Poultry. Sometimes they are termed 

 Easores, or scrapers, from their habit of scraping up the ground in search of food. To 

 this order belong our domestic poultry, the grouse, partridges, and quails, the turkeys, 

 pheasants, and many other useful and interesting birds. In almost every instance the 

 Gallinae are handsome birds, and interesting in their habits, but as their number is legion, 

 and our space is rapidly diminishing, we must content ourselves with such species as 

 afford the best types of the order to which they belong. 



OuE first example of these birds is the Crested Cueassow, the representative of the 

 genus Crax, in which are to be found a number of truly splendid birds. All the 

 Curassows are natives of tropical America, and are found almost wholly in the forests. 



The Crested Curassow inhabits the thickly wooded districts of Guiana, Mexico, and 

 Brazil, and is very plentifully found in those countries. It is a really handsome bird, 

 nearly as large as the turkey, and more imposing in form and colour. It is gregarious in 

 its habits, and assembles together in large troops, mostly perched on the branches of trees. 

 It is susceptible of domestication, and, to all appearances, may be acclimatized to this 

 country as well as the turkey or the pheasant. 



There is special reason that the Curassows should be added to our list of domesticated 

 poultry, for their flesh is peculiarly white and well flavoured, surpassing even that of the 

 turkey, and they are of a pleasant temper, and readily tamed by kindness. A dry soil is 

 absolutely necessary for their well-being, as they suffer greatly from damp, which 

 produces a disease of the foot and toes, often causing the toes to mortify and fall off. 



