SPOTTED TINAMOU. 



405 



•Sides of the head, the neck, and the whole of the 

 under parts of the body, are reddish white : the 

 middle of each feather of the fore-part of the neck 

 with dusky longitudinal spots : the feathers of the 

 upper parts of the body are of a reddish brown, 

 irregularly spotted with black, and edged with 

 reddish white ; the lesser and middle wing-coverts 

 are of a white-red, marked with deeper red, and 

 striped transversely with black : the secondary 

 wing-feathers are striped alternately with red and 

 black : the quills are the same on their outer webs, 

 and grey with red stripes on their inner : the beak 

 is brown above and white beneath : the irides are 

 bright red : the feet are pale brown. 



This species is abundant in Paraguay : the female 

 Jays six or eight eggs, of a violet tint, more dull 

 than those of the preceding bird : the cry of this 

 is very melancholy and unpleasant. A singular 

 scheme is adopted for catching these birds, to 

 supply the market of Buenos Ayres, which serves 

 to exemplify their natural stupidity: the fowler 

 carries a pole of from six to nine feet in length, at 

 the top of which is attached a noose and an ostrich's 

 feather ; with this instrument and a bag, he goes 

 over the fields, and upon seeing a bird he rides 

 circuitously up, and it immediately squats down 

 and allows him to place the noose over its neck. 



