434 EXPLANATORY INDEX. 



M 



Maam. /See " Tinamou. " 



Mahogany {Swietonia mahagoni.) — The tree which furnishes 

 the well-known mahogany wood is a very fine one, some speci- 

 mens being nearly a hundred feet in height. It belongs to the 

 group of Cedraceae. The timber is especially valuable, because, 

 no matter how large or long it may be, it is almost invariably 

 sound throughout, and free from ' shakes.' A single log has 

 been sold for a thousand pounds. Its uses were discovered 

 by Sir W. Raleigh. 



Rosewood, which comes from the same country is a Mimosa, 

 several species of which furnish the wood. It derives its 

 name from the rose-like smell of the freshly-cut timber. 



Manakins. — These are nearly all small birds, the Cock of 

 the Rock, q.v., being the largest of them. Waterton's first 

 Manakin seems to be the White-throated Manakin (Pipra 

 guUuralis) ; the second is the Red and Black Manakin [Pipra 

 awreola) ; the third is the White-headed Manakin (Pipra 

 leucosilla) ; and the fourth is the Gold-headed Manakin {Pipra 

 erythroeeplialus). 



Maeibunta. — This is merely a Portuguese word signifying a 

 Wasp, and is applied to all wasps indiscriminately. 



Maeoudi. — There are several species of Maroudis, those 

 which are best known being the common maroudi {Penelope 

 cristata), and the white-headed maroudi {Penelope pipile). Of 

 these birds, Mr. C. B. Brown writes as follows : — 



" The white-headed maroudi makes an extraordinary rattling 

 noise with its wings in early morning and late in the evening, 

 evidently amusing itself, or following a custom of its kind, for 

 when it likes, it can fly noiselessly enough. 



" I examined their wings, and found that the males have four 

 curiously shaped feathers at the tip of the wing, with which 

 they make this noise. The end portion of these feathers is 

 stiff, with very short pennules. The white-headed females 

 have only three of these feathers in each wing, which are not 



