MITRED PINTADO. 



261 



lays many eggs in a season, which she frequently 

 secretes till she has produced her young brood : 

 the egg is smaller than that of a Hen, and of a 

 rounder shape ; in colour reddish white, obscurely 

 freckled with a darker colour : it is very delicious 

 eating. 



The Pintado is a restless and clamorous bird : 

 its voice is harsh and unpleasant ; it consists chiefly 

 of two notes, ca-mac, ca-mac, frequently repeated : 

 it is compared by Latham to a door turning upon 

 its rusty hinges, or to an ungreased axle-tree. 

 During the night it perches on high places, and is 

 often so easily disturbed as to hinder the rest of a 

 family by its unceasing cry : it delights in rolling 

 in the dust to free itself from insects. 



In a wild state these birds associate in numerous 

 flocks of two or three hundred each : they delight 

 chiefly in marshy and damp morassy places, where 

 they subsist almost wholly on insects, worms, and 

 seeds. Amongst the Romans they were in great 

 request for their banquets : they are greatly prized 

 in this country by some persons, their flavour being 

 considered to resemble that of the Pheasant. 



MITRED PINTADO. 



(Numida mitrata.) 



Nu. corpore nigrOf maculis albis consperso, inhere verticis rubra 

 rotundato apice rejlexo, membrana angustd ad rictum gemind, 

 plica gulari longitudinali. 



