The KazovhUI Ctirrasoiv. 
33 
The Razorbill Curassow. 
(Mitua mi tee J 
Bv \V. Shore Baily. 
()f the \ ariou.s kinds of Curassows that tind their way to 
this country, probably the Razorbill is the most frequently 
imported. As can be seen from the photo he is a very 
handsome .^iossy black bird. havin,i; a patch of Iniff on the thit^iis 
and white tips to the tail. In size he is about as big as a hen 
Turkey. His most remarkable feature is his bill, which is a 
truly striking-looking' weapon. This is about two inches in 
depth and of a fiery orange colour. I cannot say that I ever 
saw my bird use it m defence, or for that matter in attack either, 
as he was of a very quiet and inoffensive disposition. Once 
when attacked by an aggressive hen Peafowl, he rushed to me 
for protection, but at that time he was suffering from a wasting 
sickness, and wasn't very strong. These birds are too large 
for aviaries, but would do well in paddocks with Cranes, Geese 
etc. Being arboreal in their habits, trees for them to roost in 
would be an advantage. < )nce they were used to a place f 
doubt if they would wander far from it. When first turned 
out my bird was rather shy, and would sometimes hide himself 
On one occasion, being unable to see him at feeding time, T 
called my man in to help me search, and after nearly ten minutes' 
seeking we were on the point of giving it up, when I happened 
to spot his eye, which, by the way, is very large and prominent. 
The bird was crouched in short grass within a couple of yards 
of us, and we must have walked within a yard of him more than 
once. On seeing himself discovered he quietly got up and 
walked up to be fed. Unfortunately this bird did not live long 
with me, as he developed a kind of wasting sickness, contracted 
probably on the vessel that brought him over, from the efJects 
of which he died. Before his death he became very tame and 
would follow me anywhere. 
Its habitat is central America and northern Brazil. 
Mr. H. W. Bates, who met with numbers of this species 
on the Rio Tapagos, writes: — 
" We were amused at the excessive and almost absurd lameness of a 
