11 "^ CLASS AVES. 



demand nothing but gradations skilfully managed to ensure 

 it to our climate altogether, and to render its descendants 

 here as vigorous and as fruitful as those of the peacock and 

 the turkey. That this has been done in Holland has 

 appeared already ; and we have the personal testimony of 

 M. Temminck for the fact, who has seen in his childhood a 

 multitude of these birds produced and reared in the fine 

 menagerie of M. AmeshofF, and living on the best terms with 

 all the other fowls of the poultry-yard. It is probable that 

 the races of these birds would still exist, " if," says the gen- 

 tleman last cited, " the proprietors of these vast menageries 

 had had the public good for their object in such establish- 

 ments ; but it is to be regretted, that most of them 

 considered nothing but private enjoyment or emolument, 

 accompanied by the vicious desire of concealing from the 

 curious those productions of nature, the profit and pleasure 

 arising from which they would regret to see directed to the 

 advantage of the public." M. Temminck makes a similar 

 complaint respecting the scientific collections of his country, — 

 a complaint, unhappily, not entirely destitute of foundation, 

 in other parts of the world as well as Holland. 



Into the external description of the Crested Curassow, or 

 Mitouporanga, our plan does not permit us to enter ; but Ave 

 may remark, that though the length of the adult bird is 

 about two feet eight inches, yet, before the first moulting, 

 its total length is but two inches. The plumes of the head 

 are then straight, and not contoured and frizzled. The sides 

 of the head and the base of the bill are without feathers. 

 The tuft is radiated alternately with white and black. The 

 female of this species does not differ from the male, except 

 in having shorter feathers in the tuft, and the tail being a 

 little shorter. 



From the union of the Crax Alector with Craas Rubra, 

 those individuals who partake most of the former species 



