218 THE COMPLETE POULTRY BOOK. 



from Newfoundland northward. Three species also inhahit the west coast of the 

 United States. 



Among gallinaceous birds which give the most promise of being profitably 

 domesticated are : 1. The Chwnis (Pel/iponiim) of Mexico and the South American 

 continent. These generally have bare throats, and frequently have wattles. In 

 habit they are chiefly arboreal, and they readily become tame, but have not 

 often, if ever, been induced to breed in domestication. They are said, however, 

 to hybridize readily with the common fowl, and in Texas these hybrids are as- 

 serted to be far superior to the ordinary game fowl for fighting purposes. Some 

 of the species reach the size of a small turkey, weighing seven or eight-pounds 

 when full grown; they live principally on leaves, grass, fruits, etc. 



2. The Cwrassows, or Mexican Pheasants. Thesebirdsare worthy of cultivation 

 for their plumage alone, and for that purpose are kept in our larger aviaries. In 

 size they are almost equal to the turkey ; they have short wings, long and broad 

 tail, and strong bill. With the exception of a single species found north of 

 Panama they are confined to the ti'opical forests of South America, east of the 

 Andes, and not extending south of Paraguay. They live in small flocks, and 

 are arboreal in their habits, only occasionally descending to the ground, while 

 always roosting and nesting in the branches of trees. They feed on fruits, seeds 

 and insects. They are said to be domesticated in several parts of South Ameri- 

 ca, and it.is said that they were taken to Holland from Butch Guiana towards 

 tlie end of last century and completely acclimatized and domesticated there, 

 breeding in confinement like ordinary poultry, but the establishments in which 

 they were kept were broken up during the troubles that followed the Trench 

 Revolution. Their flesh is said to be exceedingly white and delicate. The 

 Mexican Curassow, found from Panama northwards, is about three feet in length, 

 of a glossy black color, with green and purple reflections over the whole body, 

 excepting the abdomen and tail-coverts, which are white. In common with the 

 other species of this genus its head bears a crest of feathers curled forward at 

 the tips, which can be raised or depressed at will. The female is of a reddish 

 color, although varying greatly in this respect, and was until lately described as 

 a separate species — the Eed Curassow. 



It would certainly seem worth while to make further attempts to domesticate 

 this bird, _ 



3. The Common Pheasant is kept in a semi-domesticated state in Europe, and 

 it would seem worth while to make further experiments wifh that, as well as 

 with the closely related Grouse and Prairie Sen. The latter, especially, should 

 receive more attention from American fanciers, since there can be no question 

 of its adaptitude to our climate, nor of its value for food. "When the country 

 was first settled it ranged from ocean to ocean; but the progress of settlement 

 has driven it westward, until it has become extremely rare east of the Missis- 

 sippi. 



With regard to the rearing of pheasants a writer in the English Ime Stock 

 Journal says : 



" Common pheasants are certainly difiicult to rear, but with care a large prn- 

 portion of the young ones may be brought to maturity. The eggs should be set 

 under eommon hens, small sized ones being selected, and the nests should he 



