SERIEMA— TRUMPETER 95 



the ground, in the grass of the pampas, and runs with 

 great speed, having very long legs. See Plate 42, 

 Fig. 245. 



In colour the Seriema is a dull brown over the 

 greater part of the body, somewhat reddish on the 

 back and the upper coverts of the wings. The 

 feathers are thin and loosely attached, as in the 

 Herons, and the long neck- feathers are so fine in text- 

 ure as to have almost the appearance of a mane, fall- 

 ing over the back and sides of the neck. The inner 

 web, only, of the primaries is barred with dark colour. 

 The bill and legs are a delicate reddish colour, and 

 the eye, which is fierce and Hawk-like in expression, 

 is a beautiful grey, and is shaded by long and delicate 

 lashes. ,A curious character of this bird is the 

 inner toe, which is carried free of the grovmd and bears 

 a very long, sharply recurved claw like that of the 

 Eagles, the other claws being much less pointed and 

 straighter. Growing from the base of the bill, but 

 not extending to the crown, are a number of sparse, 

 hair-like feathers, giving the bird a very peculiar ap- 

 pearance. 



The Seriema has a most remarkable call, or cry, 

 the noise being extremely loud and piercing, and al- 

 most deafening to one standing near the bird. In 

 uttering it, the head is dropped back against the shoul- 

 ders and the mouth is held widely open, the sound 

 actually seeming to be pumped, or squeezed, from the 

 throat. 



The Common Trumpeter, or Golden-breasted 

 Trumpeter, is another very interesting South Ameri- 

 can bird, that has no very near relatives, and so con- 



