CRAX. 17 



Genus CRAX Linn. 



Crax Linne, Syst. Nat. 10th eel. p. 157, 1758. Type C. nigra Linn. 



The diagnostic characters of this genus are the unfeathered 

 lores, the depth ot" the upper mandible being greater than its 

 width, the crest-feathers curled forward, the tail-feathers twelve 

 in number, and the tail shorter than the wing. 



9. Crax nigra. 

 Crested Curassow. 



Crax nigra Linn. Syst. Nat. lOtli ed. i. p. 157, 1758 ("Habitat in 

 America australi "). 



Crax aJector Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 269, 17GG (Cayenne) ; Cab. in 

 Scbomb. Reis. Guian. iii. p. 74G, 1S48 ; Brown, Canoe and Camp 

 Life, pp. 187, 345, 1870; Salvin, Ibis, 188G, p. 174 (Camacusa); 

 W. L. Sclater, Ibis, 1887, p. 318 (Pomeioon River); Quelch, 

 Timehi-i (2) iv. p. 326, 1890 (Upper Berbice River) ; Ogilvie-Grant, 

 Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 475, 1893 (Demerara) ; Lloyd, Timebri 

 (2) xi. p. 4, 1897 ; Beebe, Our Search for a Wilderness, pp. 332, 

 335, 389, 1910 (Aremu) ; Bra bourne & Chubb, B. S. Amer. i. p. 8, 

 no. 74, 1912. 



"Powie" (Broicn) or " Powsie " (Llogd) ; " Powis " {QuelcJi). 



Adult male. Entire upper surface and the greater portion of the 

 underparts black with a purple gloss. The head is ornamented 

 with a crost the feathers of which recoil. The lower abdomen, 

 inner portion of thighs, and under tail-coverts white. "Core and 

 base of bill yellow, remainder of bill horn-blue; feet horn-colour." 



Total length 800 mm., culmen from cere 38, wing 3G5, tail 310, 

 tarsus 110, middle toe and claw 84. 



We do not know the exact localit}^ of the bird from which the 

 description is taken. 



The female differs from the male in having the feathers of the 

 crest barred with white. Wing 338 mm. 



Immature. Head, neck, throat, and breast covered with down uf 

 a pale chestnut or rufous buff intermixed with longitudinal streaks 

 of black on the head and hind-neck ; ear-coverts also black ; 

 upper baok, wings, and tail blue-black mottled and edged with 

 rufous on the tail-feathers, j)rimaiy and secondary (|nills, and 

 median upper wing-co\ erts ; tho lower back still refains (In^ 

 n«'stling down, which is rich chcslnut ; sides of brcasi and sides 

 of bod}' didl Idack, more or hv-s motllcd with l)uiron Ihe laHcr ; 



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