JUNGLE LIFE AT AREMU. 



337 



Curassow appearing most excited after it had ilnished tlie 

 challenge call. It fre(|uently ran to the hens and walked 

 about them, while the captive bird which 1 obscr\ed paifl no 

 attention to the hens, but showed off to human visitors and 

 de\'oted himself to attacks upon their footwear. 



No i)art of the performance was ever omitted. Invariably 

 he turned his back on his rival or observer, in\-ariably he 

 first walked and snorted, then champed and clapped his 



Third Phase of Curassow Strutting. 



Fig. 138. Back turned, Wings lowered, Air-sacs inflated, uttering 



the penetrating Challenge Call. 



wings, and finally sent out his challenge. As I have said, one 

 may closely imitate this call, and the birds, as I learned on 

 another occasion, will respond to repeated calls and come 

 within shooting distance. 



Taken altogether, the performance was a most delightful 

 insight into the lives of these litde known birds, and the 

 complexity and intricate succession of the various maneuvres 

 was remarkable. As I have said, at one of the pebble champ- 

 ing periods I become so interested that I made a noise and the 



