132 CLASS AVES. 



in the morning after the rising of the sun ; for as soon as the 

 heat commences to become a little stronger, they penetrate 

 into the depth of the woods, and remain in the thickest 

 shades, where there is the greatest abundance of green leaves, 

 so that it is extremely difficult to discover them. In the 

 evening they sally from their prison, first uttering their accus- 

 tomed cries, and proceed in search of food. 



The parraqua is found in woods at no great distance from 

 the coasts, and rarely in the interior of the country. It de- 

 lights much in the neighbourhood of settlements, and of 

 cultivated lands. The resounding voice of the male very 

 well expresses the different syllables which we have mentioned 

 as having been put together in its various native names. 



It appears that, including some unimportant varieties of 

 plumage, this same species is extended through Brazil, Para- 

 guay, and Guiana. Humboldt has seen them to the north of 

 the equator by the river Madeleina, in the province of Carac- 

 cas, and in New Andalusia. Flocks of from sixty to eighty 

 of them are perched upon the dead branches of trees, in close 

 array, filling the air with their piercing cries of catacras ! 

 catacras ! 



Under the name of Hoazin, Fernandez has described a 

 bird of Mexico, approaching to the size of the turkey, and 

 whose generic and specific characters being pretty fully given 

 in the text, there would be the less reason to insist upon them 

 here. But we must observe, that as some degree of confusion 

 exists respecting this same bird, it may be as well for us to 

 enter into a short account of what authors have said upon the 

 svibject. 



The bird of Fernandez is described as bearing a tuft, the 

 plumes of which are white on one side, and black on the 

 other ; more lofty than that of the hocco, and of a different 

 form. The bill is curved ; the chest of a yellowish-white ; 

 the wings and tail marked with wliite spots or stripes ; the 



