GO BIRD? OF BRITISH GUIAXA. 



body, is thus extremoly awkward, and the body presents a 

 peculiarly humped appearance. During their longer courses 

 the wings are rapidly and violently flapped. 



"When suddenly disturbed, as by the discharge of a gun 

 amongst a group of them, they fly or spring away for distances 

 of but a few feet, while those in the immediate vicinity show no 

 other signs of alarm but the loud utterance of their shrill cry. 

 While springing from place to place, when they are feeding 

 or al.irmed, they keep their wings fully expanded, and inclined 

 almost vertically when the}' have first alighted, thus balancing 

 themselves, the crest being then erect and the tail raised and 

 expanded. It is at such times especially that their yilumage 

 presents a really beautiful aspect, in spite of their sober 

 colouring. 



" The apparent awkvardness in placing themselves when they 

 alight is chiefly due, I believe, to the smallness of the branches 

 on which they usually settle, and which they are unable firmly to 

 grasp with their long toes, balancing themselves meanwhile by 

 the expanded wings and tail ; but it is also attriljutable, I think, 

 though to a much less degree, to a certain weakness in their 

 legs — even though these are thick and apparently strong- 

 looking, — since when they alight on a thick limb a certiiin 

 amount of instability is still manifest. 



" This weakness of limbs seems to l>e still more evidenced by 

 the method of perching characteristic of the lairds. At any time 

 during the heat of the day they will be found resting on the 

 branches, two or more together, the body directly applied to 

 the wood, and supported on the bare, thickened, and hardened 

 patch of skin which covers the flattened and broadened surface 

 of the posterior termination of the carina sterni. This surface of 

 the keel affords a firm base of support, and as the axis of the 

 sternal keel is not parallel with, but markedly inclined to the 

 spine, a slight tilt of the spine from the horizontal brings the axis 

 of the sternum close to the vertical, and alloMs nearly the full 

 weight of the bird to be thrown on the sternal base, while the 

 body of the bird seems to be quite horizontal, owing to the fact 

 that the enormous looped crop, \\hich is directly and closely 

 applied to the face of the furculuni autl sternum, causes a bulging 

 of the body in the front to balance the extension of the rump 

 behind. The feet of the bird whilo oraspiufj the branch here 



CIO 



