64 BIRDS OF BRITISH GUIANA. 



}>ioces of young leaves ; autl sometimes these pieces consist of a 

 half or nearly an entire leaf, almost unaltered — the pieces packed 

 against and between the wrinkled surface of the immensely 

 developed ruga; being, however, seldom of this nature. Early in 

 the morning and late in the afternoon, before feeding-time, the 

 contents of the crop are but little recognizable, the fragments 

 being considerably altered, as well doubtless by the peculiar 

 warmth and moisture as by the special action of its strong rugre. 

 If the nestlings are fed by the parent birds with small portions of 

 the young foliage, which, owing to its softness and delicacy, the 

 weakest condition of their jaws would allow them to tear from 

 the bills of their parents, either in large or small portions, the 

 long resting-time during the night and the middle of the day 

 would be sufficient to cause a change in the leaf-pieces corre- 

 sponding to that produced in the adult birds. 



" The nestlings, even when quite small, are frequently found 

 far away from any nest, climbing by the help of their clawed 

 wings, after the parent birds during feeding-time ; and it seems 

 a most likely thing, though I have never directly observed it, 

 that they are then fed with the tender leaves which the parents 

 pluck for them. Failing the proof from direct observation, there 

 seems to be no necessity for concluding that the nestlings are fed 

 by a regurgitation of the food-mass from the crop of the adult 

 birds, as Dr. Young has been inclined to think likely (Notes from 

 the Leyden Museum, vol. x. p. 171). 



" It was a very noticeable thing, during the various months 

 when the birds were under my observation, that a very large 

 proportion of those that were shot were by no means in good 

 plumage, a variable number of the quills of the wings and tail, 

 and sometimes the feathers of the crest, and frequently those 

 of the neck and breast, being only in process of growth. So 

 marked was this feature in October 1888, along the Abary Creek, 

 tliat I was inclined to regard that season as a moulting-period 

 (Timehri, vol. ii. new series, 1888, p. 364) ; since then, however, 

 I have found them in very much the same condition in July 1889 

 and January 1890. 



" This is all that I am at present able to furnish about the habits 

 and breeding of these birds ; but I trust soon to be able to offer 

 some additional notes on a few points that have remained untouched 

 owiuii to the want of definite information." 



