400 THE TEXAN GUAN. 



The Crested Curassow inhabits the thickly-wooded districts of Guiana, Mexico, and Brazil, 

 and is very plentifully found in those countries. It is a really handsome bird, nearly as large 

 as the turkey, and more imposing in form and color. It is gregarious in its habits, and 

 assembles together in large troops, mostly perched on the branches of trees. It is susceptible 

 of domestication, and. to all appearances, may be acclimatized in England as well as the 

 turkey or the pheasant. 



There is special reason that the Curassows should lie added to our list of domesticated 

 poultry, for their flesh is peculiarly white and well flavored, surpassing even that of the 

 turkey, and they are of a pleasant temper, and readily tamed by kindness. A dry soil is 

 absolutely necessary for their well-being, as they suffer greatly from damp, which produces a 

 disease of the foot and toes, often causing the toes To mortify and fall off. Trees are also 

 needful, as these birds are fond of perching at some height from the ground, and the situation 

 must be sheltered from wind or rain. 



In their native country the Curassows build among the trees, making a large and rather 

 clumsy-looking nest of sticks, grass-stems, leaves, and grass-blades. There are generally six 

 or seven eggs, not unlike those of the fowl, but larger and thicker shelled. The voice of the 

 Crested Curassow is a. short croak, but the various species differ slightly in this respect. The 

 male Globose Curassow, for example, has a voice that sounds like a short, hoarse cough, and 

 every time that it utters the cry it jerks up its tail and partially spreads the feathers. The 

 voice of the female is unlike that of her mate, being a gentle whining sound. While per- 

 ambulating the ground or traversing the branches, the Curassow continually raises and 

 depresses its crest, giving itself a very animated aspect. 



The color of the Crested Curassow is very dark violet, with a purplish-green gloss above 

 and on the breast, and the abdomen is the purest snowy white, contrasting beautifully with 

 the dark velvety plumage of the upper parts. The bright golden-yellow of the crest adds in 

 no small degree to the beauty of the bird. 



The Geaxs also belong to the same family as the Curassows. They are also inhabitants 

 of the forests of tropical America ; and are easily to be recognized by the naked and dilatable 

 skin of the throat. They are not gregarious, like the curassow, but are mostly solitary in 

 their habits, feeding chiefly on fruits and remaining on the branches. They are not so sus- 

 ceptible of domestication as the curassow, nor are they so large, being of a more delicate and 

 slender shape. The flesh of these birds is very excellent. 



Of the family Cracidce, the genus Ortalida has eighteen species, inhabiting South 

 America, called in English, Curassows. 



The Texan Gean {Ortalis vetula). This is the only species of the genus known to North 

 America. Its local name is Chacalacca. Numerous species of the family are native in Mexico 

 and Central America. All of them appear to be susceptible of domestication. The present 

 species has been especially amenable to domestic treatment. They are quite gentle, and have 

 even been crossed with common fowl. In the morning and evening, they utter a loud noise 

 that resembles the above local name quickly spoken. These birds are very numerous near 

 Brownsville and Matamoras, where they are exposed for sale in considerable numbers. The 

 Mexicans esteem them lor their fighting qualities. 



Hybrids from the common fowl are used for gaming purposes. Its habits are pleasantly 

 related by Mi'. Cassin: "When I assure you that its voice in compass is equal to that of 

 the Guinea fowl, ami in harshness but little inferior, you may form some idea of the chorus 

 with which the forests are made to ring at the hour of sunrise. At that hour, in the month 

 of April, I have observed a stately fellow descend from the tree on which it had roosted, 

 and, mounting upon a log or stump, commence his clear, shrill cry. This was soon responded 

 to in a lower tone by the female, the latter always taking up the strain as soon as the impor- 

 tunate call of her mate had ceased. Thus alternating, one pair after another would join 

 in the matutinal chorus, and, before the rising sun had lighted up their close retreat, the 



