BRASILIAN SPUR-WINGED WATER-HEN, 
mon at St. Domingo ; from whence it was sent 
us by M. Lefebure Deshayes, under the appel- 
lation of " Chevalier Mordore Arme;" that 
is, the Armed Ferruginous Horseman. *' These 
birds," he says, go commonly in pairs ; and^ 
when separated by any accident, they call each 
other. They are very wild ; and the sports- 
man cannot approach them, except by wiles ; 
covering himself witli leaves ; or running be- 
hind the bushes, or the reeds. They are seen 
regularly in St. Domingo, during the rainy 
months of May and November, or shortly 
after: a few, however, are seen at other times ; 
from which it should seem, that the places of 
their habitual abode are not very remote. Bur 
they are never found elsewhere than in marshes, 
or at the sides of pools and brooks. The flight 
of these birds is not lofty, but pretty rapid : in 
rising, they utter a shrill, squeaking cry; which 
is heard far, and seems to bear some resem- 
blance to that of the White Owl. The poultry 
are alarmed, taking it for the scream of a bird 
of prey; though the Jacana is very remote 
from that tribe. Nature, we might suppose, 
has armed it for war; yet we know not any 
foe 
