24 PIIAROMACRUS COSTARICENSIS. 



the stomach. One of these, of a very large size, I found entire ; and I 

 have kept it as a curiosity. 



In the breeding-season they go in pairs (male and female), and keep 

 together. They fly about in the forest, perching on the branches of high 

 trees. Sometimes the female is alone ; in that case she will call her mate 

 until he comes close to her and has a caress. After a little while the female 

 will fly further on, and call him again ; and so on, the greater part of the 

 day. They inhabit the dense parts of the forest, principally along the 

 streams. What are called " barrancas " — deep ravines, difficult of access — 

 are their chosen retreats. 



These birds are rare ; and it is only because of their being sought, as 

 they are, for the sake of their value, that quantities are sent yearly to 

 Europe. 



However, what better shows the rarity of the bird is, that about 

 one hundred men, at least, are busily engaged all the year round in 

 hunting it, and through all their exertions they are not able to kill more 

 than about 500 to 800 specimens in one year, which gives a result of from 

 Ave to eight birds in one year per man. This number of 500 to 800 

 includes all the birds sent from every part of Central America and Veragua. 



They have two distinct cries — one dull, from the female, and one sharp, 

 from the male. It is by imitating the cry of the female that the men of the 

 country are able to entice males within shot. 



The female lays its eggs in old nests of Parrots, Woodpeckers, or any 

 other hole found on the trunks of large trees, chiefly dead ones. 



This species is not easy to detect. Some few^ nests obtained by natives 

 had one or two eggs in them, of the size of those of a Pigeon, and of 



