276 



A VES- ORDER GR UI FORMES. 



The Kagus. — 

 Sub-order 



Rhinochetides 



appearance of a falling parachute. On smooth ground he walks faster than 

 a man, striking out his feet in a stately manner, and jerking the tail, and 

 runs rapidly for ten or twelve yards before rising. At the approach of night 

 he becomes active, uttering long, clear, piercing cries, many times repeated 

 and heard distinctly two miles away. These cries are most melancholy, and 

 together with its mourning plumage and recluse habits, have won for the 

 courlans several pretty vernacular names. It is called the "lameutin" 

 bird " and the " crazy widow," but is more familiarly known as the carau. 

 As the breeding season draws near they become exceedingly clamorous, mak- 

 ing the marshes resound day and night with their long wailing cries. The 

 nest is built among the rushes, and contains ten or twelve eggs as large aa 

 turkeys', slightly elliptical, sparsely marked with blotches of pale brown and 

 purple on a dull white ground, the whole egg having a powdery or iloury 

 appearance." 



In New Caledonia is found the singular bird known as the kagu (Rhino- 

 clietus jubatus), the only representative of the sub-order Bhinochetides. It is 

 an elegantly coloured grey bird, with a large crest, and is 

 nocturnal in its habits. In internal structure, it has much 

 that is crane-like ; but it differs from the latter group of 

 birds by possessing powder-down patches on each side of the 

 rump. When in captivity, the kagu exhibits considerable 

 dancing powers, in which feature he also resembles the cranes. 



This sub-order is represented by a single species, MesUes rariegata, a bird 

 peculiar to the eastern slope of the mountain-chain which traverses the 

 island of Madagascar. Its plumage is of a reddish-brown, 

 THe Madagascar ^i^d it looks like an aberrant kind of rail. Like the kagu, it 

 Kagus. — possesses powder-down patches, but instead of two, there are 

 Sub-order five : two on the side of the back, one on the sides of the 

 Mesitides. body, and two on the belly. It is said to build its nest on 

 the ground, but little is known of its habits. 

 These remarkable birds are confined to South and Central America. They 

 are also very rail-like in appearance, and resemble the kagus in having 

 powder-down patches. Two species 

 are known, the South American 

 sun-bittern (Eiirypyya 7i,ehV(s), in- 

 habiting Amazonia,' Brazil, and 

 Guiana, and the large svui-bittern 

 (E. mitjiir) being found in Central 

 America and Colombia. 



The plumage of the sun-bittern is curiously 

 variegated ; the wings are beautifully spotted, and 

 the bird is fond of sitting with its wings out.spread, 

 as if sunning itself. The nest is placed in a tree, 

 and the bird has another heron-lil-c character in 

 having to feed the young birds in the nest for some 

 time, though the nestlings are covered with down, 

 as in true cranes. The eggs are said to resemble 

 those of a woodcock. 



( The members of this sub-order are five in num- 

 ber, all confined to South America. They possess many crane-like features, 

 ,but differ from all the aberrant (jniiforiiif< which we have been consider- 

 ing, in their domesticity, as they are often tamed liy the natives of Brazil. 



The 



Sun-Bitterns. — 

 Sub- order 



Eurypijrja;. 



37.— The Sim-BlTlEBK 

 (Eurii2>iiijahdias). 



