ORDER GALLINiE. Ill 



the females deposit some white eggs, pretty nearly of the 

 same size and form as those of the turkey-hen, but the shell 

 is thicker. The number of these eggs vary in proportion to 

 the age of the females, who never lay less than two, or more 

 than six. 



The Mexicans call these birds Tepetototl, which means 

 mountain-bird. The Spaniards know them under the name 

 of De Pabos de Monte (turkeys of the mountain) ; and this 

 is the denomination given by the latter in general to all the 

 curassows, and all the yacous (penelope). This curassow 

 generally sojourns on the mountains, but always in thick 

 woods. It perches on the most elevated trees, but often 

 seeks on the ground the wild fruits which constitute its sub- 

 sistence. The fruits which it most readily eats are, ac- 

 cording to Aublet, those of the thoa, which it swallows 

 entire. 



Although Sonnini suspects some exaggeration in what 

 Fernandez and Nieremberg report concerning the extraor- 

 dinary familiarity of some curassows, it is not less true 

 that there is perhaps no bird that exhibits more disposition 

 to become tame. Sonnini himself relates that they are seen 

 running tamely and familiarly through the streets of Cayenne. 

 Nothing frightens them ; they enter into all the houses, and 

 jump on the tables to receive food. Though they hatch at 

 liberty wherever they please, through the town and outside 

 of it, they know perfectly well the house in which they are 

 brought up. In consequence of their taste for elevated situa- 

 tions, they perch, for the purpose of passing the night, on the 

 highest roof in the neighbourhood. As to the rest, they i^e 

 not delicate in the choice of food, for almost every thing 

 suits and agrees with them. They eat equally maize, rice, 

 bread, cassava, bananas, potatoes, and all sorts of fruits. 

 Flocks of them can be easily brought up. 



The peaceable and mild manners of the Crested Curassow 



