576 



The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 



the hand or be caressed, will join us in the wish that they should be introduced as regular denizens 

 of the poultry-yard. 



There are a considerable number of species of Curassows, or, as we should perhaps consider 

 them, varieties, for they bear no marks of more distinctness than our various breeds of poultry, and 

 differ far less than many of these do both in appearance and habits. Perhaps the best known and 

 most common is that called the Crested Curassow, represented in our illustration. This bird is 

 generally of a glossy black shining with green, passing to white on the under parts. The beak is 

 black and stout, with a large yellow cere or naked surface at the base ; and the crest is composed 



THE CRESTED CURASSOW. 



of small feathers curled in a very curious and elegant manner. This bird is common in Brazil, and 

 constantly kept tame by the natives, running about the streets and into the houses without manifesting 

 the slightest fear, and walking round the tables at meal-times to take food from the hand. The 

 flesh is greatly valued ; indeed, that of all the Curassows is stated by such as have partaken of it 

 to surpass that of any other poultry except the Pheasant and Guinea Fowl. 



The Red Curassow is a large bird, of a general chestnut-brown colour, certain parts, however, 

 being picked out with yellowish white, particularly the tail-feathers and throat. The beak of this 

 variety is horn-coloured, and the cere nearly black. It is crested like the preceding, and inhabits 

 a more northerly region, being found in Peru, Mexico, and even in the West Indies. It is easily 



