GREAT TINAMOU. 



407 



belly and sides, and of greenish on the neck : upper 

 part of the back, wing-coverts, and tail, marked 

 with dusky transverse spots ; fewest on the last : 

 the sides of the head, throat, and fore-part of the 

 neck, not well clothed with feathers : the secondary 

 quills have a mixture of rufous, and the greater 

 quills plain ash-colour : the tail is short : the legs 

 yellowish brown ; the hind part of them very 

 rough, the scales standing out, and giving the 

 appearance of the bark of the fir tree." 



This species inhabits the great forests of French 

 Guiana and Cayenne, and roosts upon the lower 

 branches of trees, two or three feet from the 

 ground : the female lays from twelve to fifteen 

 eggs, the size of those of a hen, and of a beautiful 

 green colour : the nest is formed on the ground, 

 among the thick herbage, near the root of some 

 large tree, and is constructed of moss and dried 

 vegetables. The young run after the mother 

 almost as soon as hatched, and hide themselves on 

 the least appearance of danger : their food con- 

 sists of fruit and grain of all kinds, as well as 

 worms and insects. Their cry may be heard a 

 great way off, and is a kind of dull whistle, which 

 is uttered every evening at sunset, and again at 

 sunrise : this the Indians imitate, and by that 

 means decoy the birds within reach of the gun : 

 they also take many during the night, while roost- 

 ing on the trees : the flesh and eggs are esteemed 

 a great dainty. 



