2S2 cassell's book of birds. 



Its lower portion at the tip, is covered with a cere at its base, and is sHghtly incised at its margins. 

 The tarsi are short, and the long toes, which are not united by a skin, are armed wth large, curved, 

 and very sharp claws. The plumage is prolonged upon the head and nape into a long flowing crest, 

 the feathers of which, like those on the neck, are narrow and pointed, while such as cover the rump 

 are large and rounded. The plumage on the belly is almost downy in texture, and that of the back 

 is coarse and harsh. The nape, back, wings, and portion of the quills and the tail are brown, the 

 hinder quills enlivened by a .metallic green gloss, and the feathers on the wing-covers whitish, the 

 belly, part of the legs, rump, primary quills, and outer portions of the secondaries are light rust-red. 

 The crest is whitish yellow, partially tipped with black, the eye light brown. The bare part of the 

 face is flesh-pink, the beak greyish brown, witii a light tip, and the foot reddish brown. This species 

 is twenty-four inches long ; its wing measures thirteen, and tail eleven inches. 



The Hoactzin is peculiar to the northern parts of South America, and is common in the thickets 

 and forests near Cameta, not far from the junction of the Talantias with the Para. " In this remark- 

 able bird," says Bates, " the hind toe is not placed high above the level of the rest, as it generally is 

 in the Rasorial order, but lies in the same plane with them, and the shape of the foot thus becomes 

 adapted to the arboreal habits of the bird. This, indeed, may be said to be a distinguishing character 

 of all the birds in equinoctial America that represent the Fowl and Pheasant tribes of the 

 Old World. 



" This species lives in considerable flocks on the low trees and bushes bordering streams and 

 lagoons, and feeds on various wild fruits, especially the sour guava {Psidium). The natives say 

 it devours the fruit of arborescent arums {Caladium arborescens), which grow in crowded masses 

 around the swampy banks of lagoons. Its voice is a harsh grating hiss ; this noise is uttered when 

 the birds are alarmed, all the individuals sibilating as they fly heavily away from tree to tree. The 

 Opislhocomus is polygamous, like other members of the order to \\hich it has been assigned. It is 

 never, however, by any chance, seen on the ground, and is nowhere domesticated. The flesh has an 

 unpleasant odour of musk combined with that of wet hides, a smell called by the Brazilians catinga, 

 and it is therefore uneatable. If it be as unpalatable to carnivorous animals as it is to man, the 

 immunity from persecution which this bird would thereby enjoy would account for its existing in such 

 great numbers throughout the country." 



The Hoactzin is by no means shy, and will allow the hunter to approach very near. If alarmed 

 at the report of a gun, the whole flock take flight crying " era, era," and all alight close to each other 

 on the branches of some tree a few paces further off The strong and most unpleasant odour 

 emitted by the bodies of these birds is supposed to be imparted by the leaves of the trees on 

 which they principally subsist. So powerful is the musky smell thus acquired that the natives 

 employ the flesh as bait for certain fishes. Schomburghk is inclined to doubt whether this strong 

 odour is to be thus accounted for, and tells us that stuffed specimens retain their disagreeable scent 

 for several years. The very loosely-constructed nest of the Opist/wcomus is placed in low bushes 

 near the water ; the eggs, three or four in number, are greyish white, spotted with red ; in shape 

 they resemble those of the Penelopes, whilst the markings are similar to those of the Rails. 



The TIN.A.MOUS {Crypturida), as the birds belonging to the last division of this order are 

 called, constitute a group of very remarkable South American species, recognisable by their powerful 

 bodies, long thin neck, small flat head, and long, slender, curved bill. The tarsus is long, the 

 sole of the foot rough, and the small hinder toe, which is placed high up, is in some instances so short 

 as to be nothing more than a claw. The feathers on the head and throat are small, whilst those 

 on the rump are large, broad, and strong. The short rounded wings have the fourth or fifth of their 



