222 TIMEHRI. 
possessing morphologically many points in common with 
the reptiles. | 
In most existing birds the merrythought (furculum) is 
united to the breast bone (Sternum) by a fibrous tissue as 
in the common fowl, but in the Hoatzin it anchyloses with 
the breast bone below and with certain other bones of 
the shoulder girdle above, so as to form a solid piece, an 
antique type of stru€ture which was only known to have 
existed in the extin€t Dodo. Young Hoatzins have 
their wings furnished with well developed hook-like 
claws, by means of which they are enabled on the slightest 
alarm to leave their nests and clamber (on all fours as it 
were) about the vines and tangles of the nesting tree. 
The Gudcharo is a sort of aberrant goatsucker, re- 
markable as being about the only true frugivorus night 
bird known. It was discovered in 1799 by HUMBOLDT 
and BONPLAND in Venezuela in the cave of Caripé, hence 
its specific name of carzpensis. In this country it has 
been reported from a cave on the Upper Mazaruni River 
and from the vertical cliffs of Roraima. 
Very remarkable types are also contained in the re- 
maining six families, such as the Cariamas, a singular 
group of birds which have given Ornitholog.sts some 
trouble in assigning to their proper position in the series, 
some systematists considering them to be the American 
representatives of the Secretary bird of the Cape and 
placing them accordingly among the Falconide. Their 
proper place however seems to be between the Cranes 
and Trumpeters. 
Another singular species is the Horned Screamer, 
Palamedea cornutz, which despite its unwebbed feet is 
nearly allied to the geese. This bird presents several 
