CHAPTER XVII. 
THE CEESTED SOEEAMEB. 
{Ghaima chavarria.) 
Amongst the feathered notables from all parts of 
the world found gathered at the Zoological Gardens 
in London is the Crested Screamer from South 
America. It is in many respects a very singular 
species, and its large size, great strength, and 
majestic demeanour, with the surprising docility and 
intelligence it displays when domesticated, give it a 
character amongst birds somewhat like that of the 
elephant amongst mammals. Briefly and roughly 
to describe it : in size it is like a swan, in shape 
like a lapwing, only with a powerful curved gallina- 
ceous beak. It is adorned with a long pointed 
crest and a black neck-ring, the plumage being 
otherwise of a pale slaty blue, while the legs and 
the naked skin about the eyes are bright red. On 
each wing, in both sexes, there are two formidable 
spurs ; the first one, on the second joint, is an inch 
and a half long, nearly straight, triangular, and 
exceedingly sharp ; the second spur, on the last 
joint, being smaller, broad, and curved, and roughly 
resembling in shape and size a lion’s claw: There 
is another striking peculiarity. The skin is em/pliy- 
