CRAX. 19 



Breeding-season. "' January and February " {ScJiomhnrc/k) ; 



Mest. " It builds its nest o£ small sticks in the bushes only a few 

 feet from the ground" (^Schomhitrpk) ; "on the ground under a 

 low bush" (B)'oicn}; "rough structure placed in a tree" (Lloi/d). 



Eggs. " The eggs are white and two in number " {Schomlrurgk) ; 

 "white" {Brown); "two usually form the clutch, white, rough in 

 structure, and larger than those of any other game-bird" (LJogd). 



Range in British Goiana. Bouasika River, IMazaruni River 

 {McConnell collection) ; Taramu and Corentyne Rivers (Brown); 

 Kamakusa (W/titelg) ; Aremu River [Beehe) ; Maccasseema, 

 Pomeroon River (IT'. L. Sclater). 



Ea'tralimital Range. Colombia. 



Habits. Schomburgk records this species (Reis. Guian. iii. 

 p. 74G) as being found in all the woods in British Guiana, singly, 

 in pairs, and in flocks, on the ground, in bushes, and in tall trees, 

 in the last there were alvvavs three or four together. Judgino; 

 from the contents of the stomach, their food consists chiefly of 

 fruit. In January and February, the supposed breeding-season, 

 one often hears their deep sounding growlish cry earlj'^ in the 

 morning. It builds its nest of small sticks in the bushes only 

 a few feet from the ground. The eggs are white and two in 

 number. When taken young it is easily tamed and represents 

 our fowls with the Indians, though they never lay eggs in 

 captivity. The flesh is most excellent. The "Macusis" call it 

 Poicis and the " Warraus" call it Yariima. 



Mr. C. A. Lloyd (Timehri (2) xi. p. 4) writes : — " One of tho 

 roughest of structures is the nest of the Powise, Cra.v alector, 

 which is a platform arrangement, fixed in a tree and so loosely 

 put together that the contents can be easily seen by anyone 

 standing under it. The eggs of tho Powise are white and larger 

 than those of any other game bird. The sliells are excee(h"iigly 

 rough, looking as if they had been gummed and then sju-inkled 

 with sanrj, or with comfit known as ' tliousands,' and allowed to 

 dry. The Powise usnall}' hiys two eggs, but it is stated that tiiis 

 number is sometimes increased to foin*. 



" This bird has the odd habit of swal'owing bright objects, such 

 as poijbles of coloured (juartz, and their gizzards often contain 

 large ])ieces of the stone. We have seen ])ieccs of bottles and 

 small bits of brok<Mi shct-glass saiil (o have lu-en taken fiom f jio 



c 2 



