GUAN. 141 



plumage in general deep brown above, and fulvous beneath ; the 

 top of the head of this latter colour, and the feathers longish, but 

 not sufficient to form a real crest ; wings short, the webs of some of 

 the quills incline to rufous ; the tail about one foot long, and consists 

 of twelve feathers, of equal lengths, and though capable of being 

 erected, is carried pendent for the most part ; legs dark rufous, in- 

 clining to black, claws like those of other Fowls. 



The two sexes of this bird are said not to differ externally, but 

 in the male the windpipe is of a peculiar structure : it is of a great 

 length, and instead of directly entering into the cavity of the breast, 

 it first passes over the left clavicle, on the outside of the flesh of the 

 breast, being covered only by the skin, to more than halfway, and 

 then making a bend, returns upward on the right side, and lastly 

 turns over the clavicle into the hollow, there to unite with the lungs; 

 somewhat of this construction is seen in the Marail Turkey, but in a 

 much inferior degree, and observed too in both sexes, but in the 

 Parraqua it is only seen in the male. 



This species is common in the woods of Guiana and Cayenne, 

 and many other parts of South America. At sun-rise, sets up a 

 violent cry, which is thought to be the loudest of all the birds of 

 the new world. At this time the eyes appear red, and a small red 

 skin appears on the breast, which at other times is not visible, nor at 

 all noticed, except when the bird makes such exertions, or is angry : 

 the cry supposed to resemble the word Parraqua, and is repeated many 

 times together ; frequently many are heard at once, or answering one 

 another, but mostly in breeding time, which is twice in the year, 

 when they lay from four to six eggs ; make the nest in low branches, or 

 stumps of trees, and treat the chickens in the same manner as Hens 

 do ; the food is grains, seeds, and herbs ; but they collect worms and 

 insects for the nestling birds ; these inhabit the woods by day, 

 leaving them for the open savannas, in the morning and evening, to 



