A REPTILIAN BIRD 
other toes, instead of higher up, as in the barn-door fowl, 
that the nearest allies of the megapodes are the South 
American Cracide, or curassows. Such at least was the 
opinion of Professor Huxley, who described, nearly forty 
years ago, their osteology. 
Tae HOATZIN 
To include the hoatzin (Opisthocomus cristatus) among 
the list of birds to be seen at the Zoo is only, we are con- 
vinced, “‘ an intelligent anticipation of events”’ ; for it 
can only be a question of time before the energy of the 
authorities will submit to the public one of the most 
singular of living birds. It has been the subject of much 
scientific research, and of many highly “ descriptive ”’ 
paragraphs in newspapers. Its claims to notoriety are 
based upon the behaviour of the nestlings ; they possess 
in an unusual fashion the capacity for scrambling about 
aided by the claws at the ends of two of the three fingers 
which constitute the wings of this, as of all other recent 
birds in which those appendages are not reduced (as in 
the kiwi). Ithas been termed on this account the “‘ four- 
footed bird,” a title which is clearly fully deserved in one 
sense ; for it has, as have all birds, two pairs of limbs ; 
but it is not so well earned in another sense, for all birds 
when very young are plainly unable to fly, and use to 
some extent their wings to aid in a confused movement, 
which may be called “scrambling.” The hoatzin has, 
however, a legitimate interest, since it is one of those 
ornithological nuts which are extremely hard to crack. 
No one has as yet demonstrated to the satisfaction of 
every one else what is the precise niche to be occupied by 
Opisthocomus in the ornithological temple. It has been 
pushed about from pillar to post of that temple since De 
Buffon directed attention to its resemblance to the South 
American curassows. The balance of opinion allies it to 
the Gallinaceous birds, with a considerable touch of rail. 
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