1850.] 
THE UMBRELLA BIRD. 
169 
is formed of feathers more than two inches long, very 
thickly set, and with hairy plumes curving over at the 
end. These can be laid back so as to be hardly visible, 
or can be erected and spread out on every side, forming 
a hemispherical, or rather a hemi-ellipsoidal dome, com- 
pletely covering the head, and even reaching beyond the 
point of the beak : the individual feathers then stand 
out something like the doAvn-bearing seeds of the dan- 
delion. Besides this, there is another ornamental ap- 
pendage on the breast, formed by a fleshy tubercle, as 
thick as a quill and an inch and a half long, which 
hangs down from the neck, and is thickly covered with 
glossy feathers, forming a large pendent plume or tassel. 
This also the bird can either press to its breast, so as to 
be scarcely visible, or can swell out, so as almost to con- 
ceal the forepart of its body. In the female the crest 
and the neck-plume are less developed, and she is al- 
together a smaller and much less handsome bird. It 
inhabits the flooded islands of the Rio Negro and the 
Solimoes, never appearing on the mainland. It feeds 
on fruits, and utters a loud, hoarse cry, like some deep 
musical instrument ; whence its Indian name, Ueramimbe, 
trumpet-bird.’’ The whole of the neck, Avhere the 
plume of feathers springs from, is covered internally with 
a thick coat of hard, muscular fat, very difficult to be 
cleaned away, — which, in preparing the skins, must be 
done, as it would putrefy, and cause the feathers to drop 
off. The birds are tolerably abundant, but are shy, and 
perch on the highest trees, and, being very muscular, will 
not fall unless severely wounded. My. hunter worked 
very perseveringly to get them, going out before daylight 
