CEACID.E.— OPISTHOCOMID^. Ill 



Family CEACID^. Guans and Cueassows. 



No spura. Toes long and slender. Hind toe long and on same level as the other toes. 

 Tail of twelve feathers. The young when hatched are covered with down. Exclusively 

 American. By their habits they appear to be the link that joins the Pigeons to the Game 

 Birds. 



Guans and Curassows differ from true Game Birds (T6trcumidce and Phasianidoe), and 

 resemble Megapodes in the position of the hind toe and form of the sternum, but they differ 

 entirely from the latter in their breeding habits ; the eggs (white and usually two in number) 

 being laid in a nest, made either in a tree or on the gi'ound, and incubated in the usual 

 manner. 



Fifty-six species are known, all inhabitants of the forest regions of C. and S. America, where 

 they seem to take the place of the ordinary large game birds of the Old World. These may be 

 grouped into three subfamilies, viz. — 



(I) Cracince, with the height of the upper mandible greater than its width, which includes 

 the following genera : Crax or True Curassows, large birds, 30" to 35" in length, comprising 

 eleven species, with curly recurved crest ; Norfhocrax, one species, 24" long, with flat crest ; 

 MUua, three species of razor-billed birds, 28" to 35" in length, with crests not curled ; and 

 Pauxis, one species, 33" long, with short velvety crest and an egg-shaped helmet covering the 

 base of the bill and forehead. 



(ii.) Oreophasiiue, with height of upper mandible less than its width, containing one species 

 of Mountain Pheasant, 36" long, with crest almost bare, a straight cylindrical casque on the 

 top of the head, and cheeks and base of bill densely feathered. 



(iii.) Penelopince, with height of upper mandible less than its width, which includes the 

 following genera : — 



PeTielope or Penelopes, large Pheasant-like birds from 22" to 35" long, comprising sixteen 

 species, with feathered crest, the eye-patch, chin, and throat being naked, with median 

 wattle; Ortalis or Guans, like Pigeons or Partridges, from 16" to 26" long, comprising 

 seventeen species, with long tail, a band of thin feathers on a bare throat, and no wattle ; 

 Pipile, containing three species of Piping Guans, 30" long, the front neck naked, with a 

 median wattle ; Ahurria, a species of wattled Guan, 29" long, having the foreneck feathered 

 with a long vermiform wattle ; and Champetfis, containing two species of Sickle-winged Guans, 

 24" long, with chin and throat feathered, and no wattle. (O.G. 200-258.) 



Family OPISTHOCOMIDiE. 



Sexes similar. Elongated crest of stiff-shafted feathers. Sides of head naked. Tail of ten 

 feathers. Fifth secondary quill present. Hind toe very long. The young are hatched naked. 

 The thumb and first finger being provided with claws, enables them to climb and grasp the 

 branches soon after they are hatched ; the bill as well as the legs and wings being used for 

 a similar purpose. They are able to swim and dive with facility. Eggs are double-spotted 

 like those of a Kail and are laid in a nest of loose twigs built high up over water or soft mud. 

 Only one genus from S. America. 



0. hoazin. 23". Phunage dark brown, glossed olive. (O.G. ii. 259.) 



Family MEGAPODIID^. Mound-Bieds. 



Large strong feet and large claws. Tail of from twelve to eighteen feathers, 

 not always developed. Hind toe long and on same plane as the other toes. No 

 spurs. Plumage dull green-brown. Frequent sandy soil. 



The Brush-Turkeys, Maleos, and Megapodes, varying from 10" to 25" in 

 length, differ widely in their habits from all other birds. Their eggs (very large 

 for the size of the bird and laid at considerable intervals) are deposited in the 

 sand or in a mound raised by one or more pairs of birds. The young are hatched 

 fully feathered (without the intervention of the parent bird) and able to iiy 



