HISTORY OF MEXICO. 67 



Mexico. There are likewife wild fowls in great plenty, 

 exactly like the tame, but larger, and in many places 

 of a much fweeter flefli. There are partridges, quails, 

 pheafants, cranes^ turtle-doves, pigeons, and a great 

 variety of others, that are efteemed in Europe. The 

 reader will form fome idea of the immenfe number of 

 quails Ayhen we fliall come to fpeak of the ancient 

 facrifices. The pheafants are different from the phea- 

 fants of Europe, and are of three kinds (b). The 

 Coxolitli and Tepetoiotl^ which are both the fize of a 

 goofe, with a creft upon their heads, which they can 

 raife and deprefs at pleafure, are diflinguifliable by 

 their colour, and fome particular qualities.. The Cox- 

 olitliy called by the Spaniards, Royal Pheafant, has a 

 tawny-coloured plumage ; and its flefli is more delicate 

 than that of the other. The TepetototI will fometimes 

 be fo tame as to pick from its mafter's hand ; to run to 

 meet him, with figns of joy, when he comes home ; to 

 learn to fliut the door with its bill ; and in every thing 

 fliow greater docility than could be expe^ed in a bird 

 which is properly an inhabitant of the woods. I have 

 feen one of thefe pheafants which, after being fome 

 time in a poultry yard, had learnt to flght in the man- 

 ner of cocks, and would fight with them, ereding the 

 feathers of his crefl:, as the cocks do thofe of the neck. 

 Its feathers are of a fliining black, and its legs and feet 

 afli-coloured. The pheafants of the third fpecies, call- 

 ed by the Spaniards, Gritonesy that is, fcreamers, are 

 fmaller than the other two ; with a brown body, and a 

 black tail and wings. The Chachalaca, the flefli of 



which 



(t) Bomare reckons the Huatzin among the pheafants; hut for what reafon, 

 I do not know, as the Huatzin belongs with crows, zopilote and others, to th« 

 fecond clafs ; the birds of prey. 



