THE KAMIOHI. 



331 



hue. Their size is about that of a Turkey. They are South 

 American, birds. Their favourite haunts are moist, marshy 

 localities, inundated savannahs, or the oozy banks of shallow 

 streams. Although they do not swim, they venture on the 

 water in search of aquatic plants and their seeds. Some natu- 

 ralists, founding their belief on the presence of spurs with which 



Fig. 124. — Faithful KamicM {l-^alaviedea cristata, Sw.). 



this bird is provided, assert that it attacks small reptiles and 

 destroys them. This is now acknowledged to be an error. 

 These birds live isolated, in pairs ; they are mild and peaceful in 

 their nature, for the breeding season is the only time when they 

 seem at all disposed to use their weapons. At this period 

 the cocks engage in deadly conflict to gain possession of some 

 favourite mate. The union once formed, it is indissoluble, and 

 only terminates with the death of one of them. It is even 

 asserted that the survivor exhibits signs of great affliction, linger- 



