278 cassell's book of birds. 



THE WATTLED CURASSOW. 

 The Wattled Curassow (Crax carunculatd) is distinguishable from the species last described 

 by the inferiority of its size, and the red hue of its cere. The plumage of the male is black, with the 

 exception of the white belly and wings. The eye is brown, the tip of the beak black, the cere red, 

 and the foot yellowish red. The female has part of her throat and breast spotted with white, and the 

 wings and upper part of the belly and legs with reddish yellow, the rump and lower portions of the 

 belly are brownish red. The length of this species is thirty-four inches and the breadth forty-seven 

 inches, the wing measures fourteen and the tail thirteen inches and a half The Wattled Curassow 

 mhabits the forests on the eastern coasts of Brazil, and is met with from Rio de Janeiro to Bahia. 



THE RED CURASSOW. 



The Red Curassow {^Crax rubra) is at once recognisable by its beautiful chestnut-bro^vn 

 plumage ; the feathers on the nape and part of the throat are striped black and white, and those that 

 form the tail adorned with yellowish white lines edged with black. The eye is reddish brown, the 

 beak horn-grey, the cere blueish black, and the foot lead-grey. 



This species is about two feet and six or eight inches long. It has a large strong bill, and 

 a crest composed of twisted and curled feathers, tipped with black at their broad extremities. The 

 Red Curassows inhabit Mexico, Peru, and the West Indian Islands. They are easily tamed, and 

 associate freely with other poultry ; this accounts for mongrel birds being often seen that differ much 

 from the parent stock. In their native wilds they are by no means shy, and will suffer themselves 

 to be shot at many times before they attempt to escape. 



THE GALEATED CURASSOW. 



The Galeated Curassow {Uraxpauxi) is characterised by the large, pear-shaped excrescence 

 situated above the nostril, its thick, curved beak, which is vaulted from its base to the tip, and the 

 absence of a crest upon its head. The plumage is principally of a glossy blackish green, with white 

 upon the belly and tip of the tail ; the eye is reddish brown, the beak red, the excrescence on the 

 beat blueish black, and the foot light red. The windpipe of this bird is much elongated, and after 

 continuing down the whole length of the pectoral muscle, forms a loop and ascends again before 

 entering the chest. 



The Galeated Curassow is met with in flocks in the Mexican forests, where it perches in the trees, 

 but makes its nest upon the ground. The mother leads forth her young in the same manner as a Hen, 

 and feeds them at first with worms, insects, and larvae, but at a later period they subsist upon grain 

 and berries. This species is easily domesticated, and was one of those which bred in Holland 

 in M. Armschoff 's menagerie. 



THE MOUNTAIN CURASSOW, OR LORD DERBY'S GUAN. 

 The Mountain Curassow, or Lord Derby's Guan {Oreophasis Derby anus), must be regarded 

 as the connecting link between the Graces and PendopcB. This bird, with which we are but little 

 acquainted, has an elongate but powerful body, short neck, and comparatively small head. In the 

 small abruptly-rounded wings, the sixth quill exceeds the rest in length ; the tail is long, graduated, 

 and but slightly rounded at the tip. The feathers composing the tail and pinions are of unusual 

 breadth, and those forming the latter have a decided curve inwards. All the smaller feathers are 

 downy as far as their centre, with large shafts ; those of the rump-feathers being remarkably thick. 

 The plumage of the throat is of a velvety texture, but assumes a hairy appearance lower down, v/hilst 



