THE COCK OF THE EOCK. 
123 
of food at sunrise and sunset^ soon retreating"^. It is an 
unsocial bird^ never mingling with the feathered inhabitants 
of the forest. 
Mr. Goudotf describes the nest of the ^ Cock of the Kock^ 
as being formed in holes of steep rocks, close to water-tor- 
rents. It is composed of the filaments of roots^ interlaced, 
and in the lower part mingled with earth or clay. 
When on the Eio Negro in November, 1850, Mr. 
Wallace went in search of this fine bird, and describes, in 
his very interesting travels, the mountainous thickets it 
inhabits. It was some time before an old Indian caught 
hold of his arm, and, pointing to a dense thicket, whispered 
gently, Gallo He says : After looking a Httle while, I 
caught a glimpse of the magnificent bird, sitting amidst the 
gloom, shining out like a mass of brilhant flame.^^ As the 
bird is easily frightened, it required some following and 
perseverance before he shot it. One of the Indians went 
down the deep rocky gully into which it fell, and brought it 
to him. He may well say, I was lost in admiration of the 
dazzling brilliancy of its soft downy feathers ; not a spot of 
blood was visible, not a feather was rutfled, and the soft^ 
* Wanderings in South America, pp. 107 and 34, 
t Revue Zoologique, 1848, p. 1. 
