Tame animals among the red men of America. 31 
then spring some three feet, turning a somersault as 
they descend. Often too they run up to their masters and 
offer their heads to be stroked. One of these birds which 
belonged to a missionary in the colony, used to annoy its 
master by walking solemnly in front of him when, in 
conducting a funeral service, he passed from the church 
to the open grave, and there the bird would stand still, 
looking down into the cavity and uttering its odd note. 
These birds are very bold, so that when they live to- 
gether with domestic fowls they domineer over even the 
most autocratic cock. At first the cock may fight, but the 
trumpet-bird puzzles and defeats its enemy by leaping 
up into the air and coming down with great force on its 
opponent's back, making full use of its unusually powerful 
claws. 
But, after parrots, the commonest of all these tame 
animals is the curassow-bird, called powis by the In- 
dians — Crax alector of scientific men. It is nearly as 
large as, and in shape not unlike, a turkey. All its feathers 
are of a deep glossy black, except that in young birds 
and in females, each of the short curiously curled feathers 
which form the crest on the top of the head has a white 
streak along its shaft, so that when the crest is stroked 
there is a gleam of white from under the black. Beak 
and legs are of the brightest yellow. They too exercise 
dominion over cocks and hens, and even sometimes try 
to extend their authority farther ; for I have seen them 
attack young children when playing in the dust, striking 
them with their wings and feet. As a rule, however, they 
are very tame and gentle with their human friends. In a 
wild state they are very abundant and are most excellent 
