i6l 



CRAX. CURASSOW. 



Generic Character^ 



Rostrum longiusculum, cras- 

 sumlateratim compressum, 

 culmine carinato, versus 

 apicem incurvum, basi cera 

 simplice aut gibba obtec- 

 tum. 



Nares laterales, in cera po- 

 sitae, semitectae, antrorsum 

 patulae. 



Caput ; vertex pennis revo- 

 lutis. 



Pedes tetradactyli, digiti tres 

 anteriores basi membrana 

 connexi. 



Cauda lata, declivis, rectri- 

 cibus quatuordecim. 



Alee breves. 



BeaJi: long, thick, compressed 

 at the sides, the ridge 

 carinated, towards the tip 

 incurved, the base covered 

 with a simple cere or gib- 

 bous. 



Nostrils lateral, placed in the 

 cere, half covered, but open 

 in front. 



Head; with its top orna- 

 mented with revoluted fea- 

 thers. 



Feet four-toed, the three an- 

 terior ones connected by a 

 membrane at the base. 



Tail broad, bent down, con- 

 sisting of fourteen feathers. 



Wings short. 



Crax, auctorum, — Very little is known of the. 

 manners of these birds, further than they are 

 capable of being tamed, and will live with domestic 

 poultry: they feed on fruits and seeds, and build 

 on trees, upon which they perch. 



V. XI. p. I. 11 



