BIRDS—ARAMIDAE—ARAMUS GIGANTEUS. 
657 
Family ARAMIDAE. 
The Aramidae of Bonaparte embrace a single genus, Aramus, which, most authors place in 
the Rallidae. 
ARAMUS, Vieill. 
Aramus, Vieill. Analyse, 1816. Type Ardea scolopacea, Gm. (G. R. Gray.) 
Cii.—B ill elongated, much compressed, both mandibles decurved at tip. Gonys very long. Bill of equal width nearly from 
base to tip ; nostrils pervious, in the basal fourth of the bill. Head feathered to bill; eyelids only naked. Legs lengthened ; 
tibia half bare ; tarsus longer than middle toe ; toes without basal membrane ; outer lateral rather longer than inner ; middle 
claw not pectinated. The tarsi are broadly scutellate anteriorly. 
The wings are broad and rounded ; the tertials equal to the primaries. The first quill is 
scarcely longer than the tenth, and subfalcate. The tail is composed of twelve feathers. 
Two species are at present known to naturalists, until recently supposed to he one. Cabanis 
was the first to point out the differences between them and to insist that they were distinct, and 
not merely adult and young. 
Comparative measurements of species. 
Species. 
Locality. 
Length. 
Stretch 
of wings. 
Wing. 
Tail. 
Tarsus. 
Middle 
Its claw 
alone. 
Bill 
above. 
Along 
gape. 
Specimen 
measured. 
Aramus giganteus . , e . e 
24.00 
12.80 
5.88 
5.03 
4.26 
0.69 
5.04 
5.28 
Skin 
27.50 
44 00 
13.00 
Aramus scolopaceus ....... 
Brazil............... 
31.00 
14.20 
7.60 
5.10 
4.22 
0.74 
4.86 
5.18 
Mounted.. 
ARAMUS GIGANTEUS, Baird. 
Carau; Crying Bird ; Courlan. 
Rallus giganteus, Bon. J. A. N. Sc. Y, 1825, 31. 
Aramus scolopaceus, Bon. Am. Orn. Ill, 1828, 111 ; pi. xxvi.—I b. Conspectus, II, 1855, 104. (Young only.)— Ib . 
Syn. 309 .—Nuttall, Man. II, 1834, 68 .—Aud. Orn. Biog. IY, 1838, 543; not pi. 377, which is 
A. scolopaceus. — Ib. Syn. 219.— Ib. Birds Amer. V, 1842, 181; not pi. 312, which is A. scolopaceus . 
Notherodius holostictus, Cabanis, Jour. IV, 1856, 426. 
Sp. Ce.—General color olive chocolate brown, each feather except the quills streaked centrally with white, as a lanceolate 
Spot; the colors becoming lighter towards the bill ; the chin and upper part of the throat whitish. The under tail coverts and 
rump almost chocolate brown and unspotted. Length, 27.50 ; wing, 13 ; tarsus, 5.03 ; gape of bill, 5.28. 
Hab. —Florida and West Indies. 
With a general resemblance to the typical Aramus scolopaceus 1 of Brazil, the species 
1 Aramus scolopaceus, Vieillot. 
Ardea scolopacea, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 647. 
Aramus scolopaceus, Vieillot, Diet. —Ib. Gal. des Ois. II, 134; pi. 252 .—Bonap. Consp. II, 1855, 103, adult, not the 
supposed young, nor of Am. Orn.— Aud. Orn. Biog. IV ; pi. 377.—Is. Birds Am. V ; pi. 312.— 
Burmeister, Thiere Bras. II, 1856, 380. 
Rallus ardeoides, Spix. Av. Bras. II, 72 ; pi. xci. 
Rallus gigas , Light. Verz. Doubl. 1823, 79. 
Notherodius guarauna, Wagler, Syst. Av. 1827.—Is. Isis, 1829, vi. 
July 24, 1858. 
83 b 
