THE CRESTED CURASSOW (Crax alector). ONE-QUARTER NATURAL SIZE.
THE CRESTED CURASSOW (Crax alector). ONE-QUARTER NATURAL SIZE.
THE CRESTED CURASSOW (Crax alector). ONE-QUARTER NATURAL SIZE.
THE WATTLED CURASSOW.
The WATTLEDCURASSOW(Crax carunculata) is distinguishable from the species last described by the inferiority of its size, and the red hue of its cere. The plumage of the male is black, with the exception of the white belly and wings. The eye is brown, the tip of the beak black, the cere red, and the foot yellowish red. The female has part of her throat and breast spotted with white, and the wings and upper part of the belly and legs with reddish yellow, the rump and lower portions of the belly are brownish red. The length of this species is thirty-four inches and the breadth forty-seven inches, the wing measures fourteen and the tail thirteen inches and a half. The Wattled Curassow inhabits the forests on the eastern coasts of Brazil, and is met with from Rio de Janeiro to Bahia.
THE RED CURASSOW.
The REDCURASSOW(Crax rubra) is at once recognisable by its beautiful chestnut-brown plumage; the feathers on the nape and part of the throat are striped black and white, and those that form the tail adorned with yellowish white lines edged with black. The eye is reddish brown, the beak horn-grey, the cere blueish black, and the foot lead-grey.
This species is about two feet and six or eight inches long. It has a large strong bill, and a crest composed of twisted and curled feathers, tipped with black at their broad extremities. The Red Curassows inhabit Mexico, Peru, and the West Indian Islands. They are easily tamed, and associate freely with other poultry; this accounts for mongrel birds being often seen that differ much from the parent stock. In their native wilds they are by no means shy, and will suffer themselves to be shot at many times before they attempt to escape.
THE GALEATED CURASSOW.
The GALEATEDCURASSOW(Urax pauxi) is characterised by the large, pear-shaped excrescence situated above the nostril, its thick, curved beak, which is vaulted from its base to the tip, and the absence of a crest upon its head. The plumage is principally of a glossy blackish green, with white upon the belly and tip of the tail; the eye is reddish brown, the beak red, the excrescence on the beak blueish black, and the foot light red. The windpipe of this bird is much elongated, and after continuing down the whole length of the pectoral muscle, forms a loop and ascends again before entering the chest.
The Galeated Curassow is met with in flocks in the Mexican forests, where it perches in the trees, but makes its nest upon the ground. The mother leads forth her young in the same manner as a Hen, and feeds them at first with worms, insects, and larvæ, but at a later period they subsist upon grain and berries. This species is easily domesticated, and was one of those which bred in Holland in M. Armschoff's menagerie.
THE MOUNTAIN CURASSOW, OR LORD DERBY'S GUAN.
The MOUNTAINCURASSOW, or LORDDERBY'SGUAN(Oreophasis Derbyanus), must be regarded as the connecting link between theCracesandPenelopæ. This bird, with which we are but little acquainted, has an elongate but powerful body, short neck, and comparatively small head. In the small abruptly-rounded wings, the sixth quill exceeds the rest in length; the tail is long, graduated, and but slightly rounded at the tip. The feathers composing the tail and pinions are of unusual breadth, and those forming the latter have a decided curve inwards. All the smaller feathers are downy as far as their centre, with large shafts; those of the rump-feathers being remarkably thick. The plumage of the throat is of a velvety texture, but assumes a hairy appearance lower down, whilstthat upon other parts of the body is broad-webbed, compact, and harsh. The slender beak is almost covered with velvety feathers forming a tuft above the upper mandible, which curves slightly over the lower portion of the bill and has a broad tip. The short foot is furnished with long toes and large curved claws. The tarsi and skin between the outer and middle toes are feathered. The centre of the brow is in this species decorated with a slender horn, which inclines forward at the extremity. The plumage of both sexes is glossy black, shaded with green upon the back, wings, and belly; the gullet and breast are whitish grey, each feather being striped with blackish brown upon the shafts; the ornamentation of the tail is enlivened by a greyish white stripe about an inch in length. The eye is white, the beak pale straw-colour, the horn scarlet, and the foot bright red. The length of this species is thirty inches; the wing measures fourteen inches, and the tail fourteen inches and a half.
The first specimen of the Mountain Curassow seen in Europe was killed by a Spaniard in 1848, and came into the possession of Earl Derby, after whom it was named. This rare species appears to be met with only on the Volcan del Fuego, a mountain in Guatemala which is covered at an altitude of 7,000 feet above the sea with high trees, among the branches of which it seeks its food during the morning hours, but later in the day it descends into the underwood or reposes upon the ground. Its habits probably resemble those of its congeners, but we are without any other details as to its mode of life.
The GUANS (Penelopæ) are distinguishable from the Curassows by their slender body, comparatively long, much-rounded tail, and low tarsus. They have a broad cere upon their beak, and a bare patch around the eye; their almost naked throat is only covered with a long hairy growth, and there is a slight crest upon the head. The upper plumage of these birds is usually of a uniformly dusky metallic green or brown, while many of the feathers on the under side and breast have light borders. The various members of this family are only found in the warm parts of South America, and closely resemble each other in their mode of life and habits. They usually frequent trees, near the tops of which they perch during the heat of the day, only descending to seek for fruit and insects at early morning or in the evening. Owing to the shortness of their wings their flight is heavy and performed with difficulty; on the branches they are more adroit, and if alarmed move with extraordinary rapidity; in disposition they are shy and usually remain concealed among the thickest foliage, from whence they peep forth to reconnoitre and keep a strict watch against approaching danger. The larger species are solitary in their habits, whilst the smaller members of the family associate in large parties, often numbering sixty or seventy individuals, and fly about under the guidance of one bird placed at the head of the flock. The harsh, loud, peculiar voices of thePenelopæare usually heard most frequently at break of day, and are represented by travellers as producing an almost deafening effect, when, as is generally the case, a whole flock, following the example of their leader, join together in chorus. Fruit, seeds, and berries of various kinds afford these birds the means of subsistence: it would also appear, according to the Prince von Wied, that they do not reject insect diet. The nests are usually built in trees, and only occasionally on the ground. The large white eggs are from two to six in number. It is at present uncertain whether both parents assist in tending their offspring. Bajon informs us that as soon as the young quit the shell they commence climbing about in the underwood, and are fed in the nest; when strong enough, they venture on to the ground, follow their mother like young chickens, and are led about by her in the short grass during the early morning; when fully fledged they go forth into the world on their own account, and the parents probably proceed to rear another brood. Some species only leave the nest when about ten or twelve days old. Amongst the Indians these birds are highly prized asdomestic favourites, and soon become so tame as to enjoy being caressed and taken in the hand. Their flesh is also much esteemed.
THE SUPERCILIOUS GUAN.
The SUPERCILIOUSGUAN(Penelope superciliaris) represents a group recognisable by their comparatively large size, moderately long tail, and soft plumage, as also by the small crest upon their head, and the absence of feathers on the brow, sides of the neck, and throat. Upon the crown, nape, throat, and breast, the plumage of this species is of a slaty black, shaded with grey; each of the feathers edged with a whitish line, while those of the back, wings, and tail are metallic green, bordered with whitish grey and reddish yellow; the feathers on the belly and rump are brown and yellowish red, and the quills delicately edged with greyish yellow. A whitish brown stripe passes above the brown eye, which is surrounded by a bare patch of black skin; the bare throat is deep flesh-red; the beak greyish brown; and the foot dusky reddish brown. The female is recognisable from her mate by the comparative indistinctness both of the stripes above the eye and the light borders to the feathers. The young are principally of a pale greyish brown, with a reddish yellow line over the eye, and are delicately marked with undulating lines upon the breast, rump, and leg feathers. This bird is twenty-four inches long; the wing measures ten, and the tail ten and a half inches.
The Supercilious Guan is an inhabitant of Brazil, and is particularly numerous in the district of Para: it is called by the Indians "Jack-peva."
THE PIGMY, OR PIPING GUAN.
The PIGMY, or PIPINGGUAN(Pipile leucolophos), represents a group distinguishable from the above birds by their low tarsi, the slender, sickle-shaped form of the three first wing-quills, the slender, erect, and pointed crest, about three inches long, that adorns their head, and the black, bristle-like growth that covers the cheeks and overspreads the throat in small tufts. The upper portion of the body is principally slate-black, with white outer wing tipped with spots of the same dark shade; the lower part of the back, under breast, belly, and vent are reddish brown; some parts of the throat and breast have a chequered appearance, owing to the white edges of the feathers. The crest is composed of pure white feathers with black shafts; the quills and tail are black, enlivened by a steel-blue sheen; the eye is a deep cherry-colour; the bare face light blue; the throat light red; the beak horn-black, with bright blue base; and the foot red. The female is not so large as her mate, and has a shorter crest, less decided tints, and broader white edges to her feathers. The plumage of the young is dusky brownish black, except on the reddish brown belly and rump; their crest is but slightly developed. This bird is twenty-nine inches long and thirty-nine broad; the wing measures nearly eleven, and tail ten inches and three-quarters. Schomburghk mentions that he met with the Piping Guan in all parts of British Guiana, and saw it in great numbers in the forests near the coast. It is less bold than its congeners, and unlike them, according to the Prince von Wied, builds its nest amongst the branches of the forest trees in which it lives in pairs. Its flesh is excellent, and it is readily tamed. The voice of this species is low and piping.
THE ARACUAN.
The ARACUAN(Ortalida Aracuan) and its congeners are smaller than the above birds, with longer tails, and tarsi as long as the centre toe. In the wing the outer primaries are rounded at the tip, and the fifth, sixth, and seventh quills longer than the rest. The cheeks and sides of the throat are bare, the latter divided by a narrow feathered stripe. The plumage, which is composed of softand rounded feathers, is principally of an olive-brown on the upper portion of the body, with a somewhat redder shade on the crown of the head, and white edges to the feathers on the breast and fore part of the throat; the three outer tail-feathers are tipped with brownish red. The eye is deep brown, and the bare patch that surrounds it blueish black; the unfeathered portions of the throat are flesh-red; the beak light red; and foot pale flesh-red. The female differs but slightly from her mate; the young exhibit much paler tints than the parent birds. This species is twenty inches and a half long, and twenty-three inches and a quarter broad; the wing measures seven and the tail nine inches.
THE HOACTZIN, OR STINK BIRD (Opisthocomus cristatus).
THE HOACTZIN, OR STINK BIRD (Opisthocomus cristatus).
THE HOACTZIN, OR STINK BIRD (Opisthocomus cristatus).
The Aracuan is an inhabitant of Central Brazil, where it is principally met with in the forests of Bahia.
THE HOACTZIN, OR STINK BIRD.
The HOACTZIN, or STINKBIRD(Opisthocomus cristatus), the only representative of the tribe to which it belongs, has a slender body, moderately long neck, and wings that extend to about the centre of the tail, which is composed of ten long, broad feathers, graduated at its sides and rounded at the extremity. The bill, which resembles both that of theCracesand of thePenelopæ, curves overits lower portion at the tip, is covered with a cere at its base, and is slightly incised at its margins. The tarsi are short, and the long toes, which are not united by a skin, are armed with large, curved, and very sharp claws. The plumage is prolonged upon the head and nape into a long flowing crest, the feathers of which, like those on the neck, are narrow and pointed, while such as cover the rump are large and rounded. The plumage on the belly is almost downy in texture, and that of the back is coarse and harsh. The nape, back, wings, and portion of the quills and the tail are brown, the hinder quills enlivened by a metallic green gloss, and the feathers on the wing-covers whitish, the belly, part of the legs, rump, primary quills, and outer portions of the secondaries are light rust-red. The crest is whitish yellow, partially tipped with black, the eye light brown. The bare part of the face is flesh-pink, the beak greyish brown, with a light tip, and the foot reddish brown. This species is twenty-four inches long; its wing measures thirteen, and tail eleven inches.
The Hoactzin is peculiar to the northern parts of South America, and is common in the thickets and forests near Cameta, not far from the junction of the Talantias with the Para. "In this remarkable bird," says Bates, "the hind toe is not placed high above the level of the rest, as it generally is in the Rasorial order, but lies in the same plane with them, and the shape of the foot thus becomes adapted to the arboreal habits of the bird. This, indeed, may be said to be a distinguishing character of all the birds in equinoctial America that represent the Fowl and Pheasant tribes of the Old World.
"This species lives in considerable flocks on the low trees and bushes bordering streams and lagoons, and feeds on various wild fruits, especially the sour guava (Psidium). The natives say it devours the fruit of arborescent arums (Caladium arborescens), which grow in crowded masses around the swampy banks of lagoons. Its voice is a harsh grating hiss; this noise is uttered when the birds are alarmed, all the individuals sibilating as they fly heavily away from tree to tree. TheOpisthocomusis polygamous, like other members of the order to which it has been assigned. It is never, however, by any chance, seen on the ground, and is nowhere domesticated. The flesh has an unpleasant odour of musk combined with that of wet hides, a smell called by the Brazilianscatinga, and it is therefore uneatable. If it be as unpalatable to carnivorous animals as it is to man, the immunity from persecution which this bird would thereby enjoy would account for its existing in such great numbers throughout the country."
The Hoactzin is by no means shy, and will allow the hunter to approach very near. If alarmed at the report of a gun, the whole flock take flight crying "cra, cra," and all alight close to each other on the branches of some tree a few paces further off. The strong and most unpleasant odour emitted by the bodies of these birds is supposed to be imparted by the leaves of the trees on which they principally subsist. So powerful is the musky smell thus acquired that the natives employ the flesh as bait for certain fishes. Schomburghk is inclined to doubt whether this strong odour is to be thus accounted for, and tells us that stuffed specimens retain their disagreeable scent for several years. The very loosely-constructed nest of theOpisthocomusis placed in low bushes near the water; the eggs, three or four in number, are greyish white, spotted with red; in shape they resemble those of thePenelopæ, whilst the markings are similar to those of the Rails.
The TINAMOUS (Crypturidæ), as the birds belonging to the last division of this order are called, constitute a group of very remarkable South American species, recognisable by their powerful bodies, long thin neck, small flat head, and long, slender, curved bill. The tarsus is long, the sole of the foot rough, and the small hinder toe, which is placed high up, is in some instances so short as to be nothing more than a claw. The feathers on the head and throat are small, whilst those on the rump are large, broad, and strong. The short rounded wings have the fourth or fifth of theirslender and pointed primaries longer than the rest; the tail is composed of ten or twelve narrow feathers, so short as to be concealed by the long tail-covers, or in some instances they are entirely wanting. The sexes are alike both in their coloration and general appearance. These birds inhabit a large portion of South America, and frequent the most various situations, open plains, dense thickets, or mountain regions; each have their appointed occupants: whilst some are met with exclusively at an altitude of more than 2,000 feet about the level of the sea. Their flight is heavy, and is but seldom resorted to as a means of escape; upon the ground they run with great rapidity, somewhat after the manner of a Quail, and if disturbed, at once crouch down or conceal themselves amongst the long grass. Such species as frequent forests pass the night upon the lower branches of trees. Their voice consists of a series of deep and high piping notes, uttered by some during the day, and by others only when seeking their roosting-place for the night or early in the morning. The intelligence of theCrypturidæis very limited, and if alarmed they appear to become almost stupefied. Of one species Mr. Darwin tells us that a man on horseback, by riding round and round so as to approach nearer each time, may knock as many on the head as he pleases. The more common method is to catch them with a running noose or little lasso, made of an ostrich-feather fastened to the end of a stick; a boy on a horse will frequently thus catch thirty or forty in a day. Guns, dogs, and snares are also employed in their capture, owing to the length of the grass in which they take refuge. European dogs, even if well trained, are not of much value in their pursuit; the Indian dog, on the contrary, Tschudi informs us, seldom fails to seize the game. Fruits, portions of leaves, insects, and seeds, constitute the food of these birds, and to the bitter taste of some of the latter is probably to be attributed a peculiar, disagreeable flavour occasionally observable in their flesh. We are at present without reliable information respecting their incubation, beyond the facts that they make a slight nest upon the ground, and are usually seen in pairs. The eggs are of uniform hue, with a beautifully bright gloss on the shell. The young only remain for a short time under their mother's care, and, as with the Quails, soon wander forth to obtain their own subsistence. Schomburghk mentions having seen these birds kept and tamed in the huts of the Indians, but pronounces them to be very uninteresting favourites.
THE TATAUPA.
The TATAUPA(Crypturus Tataupa) represents a division of the above birds recognisable by their powerful body, short pigeon-like neck, moderately large head, and slender, slightly-curved beak, which exceeds the head in length, and is much flattened towards the lower part of the culmen. The first quill in the short wing is very small, and the fourth longer than the rest; the tail-feathers are entirely wanting, and the foot, which is of moderate height, has the hinder toe but slightly developed. The rich, dark plumage is grey upon the head, throat, and breast, whilst the back, wings, and tail-covers are reddish brown, and the rump-feathers black or deep brown edged with white and yellow. The eye is reddish light brown, the beak coral-red, and the foot flesh-brown. The length of this species is nine inches and a half, and its breadth fifteen inches; the wing measures four inches and three-quarters. The female bird is scarcely distinguishable from her mate in the coloration of her plumage, whilst the young are at once recognisable by the dull brownish grey feathers on their head, throat, and under side, and the deep greyish yellow hue of the belly, which is distinctly spotted with a darker shade. The Tataupa is met with in portions of Eastern Brazil, and is especially numerous in some parts of Bahia. According to the Prince von Wied it prefers open quarters to forest land, and runs with great rapidity over the ground. Towards evening it utters a very peculiar cry, consisting of two long-sustained notes, followed by six or eight of the same tone, but short and quickly repeated. In their other habits they resemble the Tinamous. The nest is made on the ground, the eggs are about the size of those of a Pigeon, and, according to Brehm, of a glossy, pale-chocolate hue. Theflesh of the Tataupa is much esteemed as an article of food; when cooked it is white and almost without fat.
THE INAMBU.
THE INAMBU (Rhynchotus rufescens). ONE-QUARTER NATURAL SIZE.
THE INAMBU (Rhynchotus rufescens). ONE-QUARTER NATURAL SIZE.
THE INAMBU (Rhynchotus rufescens). ONE-QUARTER NATURAL SIZE.
The INAMBU(Rhynchotus rufescens) represents a group recognisable by their great size, powerful body, long neck, small head, and slender, slightly-curved beak, which exceeds the head in length, and is bluntly rounded at its extremity. The wings are short and vaulted, with pointed primaries, of which the first is very small and the fourth the longest. The foot is high and furnished with long front toes and a well-developed hinder toe. The plumage, which upon the cheeks and bridles is composed of remarkably small feathers, is principally of a reddish yellow, the region of the throat being of a whitish hue, and the crown of the head streaked with black. The feathers on the back, wings, and tail-covers are also striped with black, and have two broad black lines above their yellow border. The primaries are of uniform bright yellowish red, and the secondaries grey, marked with undulating black and grey lines. The eye is yellowish brown; the beak brown with a pale yellowish brown base to the lower mandible, and the foot flesh-brown. The length of this species is sixteen inches; the wing measures eight inches.
The Inambu is an inhabitant of Central Brazil, being specially numerous in St. Paul's, Southern Minas, and Goyaz: Darwin met with it in the sterile country near Bahia Blanca, where it frequented swampy thickets on the borders of lakes. According to that naturalist it lies low and is unwilling to rise, but often utters a very shrill whistle whilst on the ground. The flesh when cooked is quite white.The Inambu is a constant object of pursuit to the sportsman, and to this fact is no doubt attributable the shyness it exhibits at the approach of danger; if alarmed it at once seeks shelter in the grass, and only has recourse to its wings if sorely pressed. Occasionally, but rarely, these birds are met with associated in considerable numbers. According to Burmeister they fly about during the twilight hours, and make their nest in a thick bush. The eggs, from six to eight in number, are of a very glossy dark grey colour shaded with violet.
The AMERICAN QUAILS (Nothura) are a race of small birds that nearly resemble the European Quail in their general appearance, and like it make their homes in the long grass of open pastures. The plumage of this group is thick, composed of long narrow feathers, and the beak is short and much hooked at its extremity. The first wing-quill is very short, the second comparatively large, and the fourth longer than the rest. The tail-feathers, which in some species are of remarkable size, are soft in texture; the foot is strong, and the hind toe moderately developed. These timid birds inhabit South America, frequenting both the open grassy plains that border the large rivers, and the barren tracts of the warmer portions of the continent. If alarmed they conceal themselves in bushes, or crouch close to the ground and do not readily have recourse to their wings. Insects and small fruits constitute their means of subsistence.
THE LESSER MEXICAN QUAIL.
The LESSERMEXICANQUAIL(Nothura nana) has the plumage on the back of a greyish yellow; the breast whitish yellow, and the throat pure white. The feathers on the back are striped with black and edged with pale grey at the sides; the head and nape are spotted in stripes, and the side and belly transversely striped. The tail-covers of the male bird are covered with long, downy feathers, which form a flowing train. This species is six inches long and nine inches and half broad. The female is about an inch shorter than her mate.
This Quail inhabits the grassy plains of Paraguay, and is by no means so rare as has been supposed. Owing to the shyness of its habits, it is frequently overlooked by sportsmen, as, if alarmed, it lies concealed in the long grass, only rises on the wing when danger is close at hand, and flying to a short distance, again seeks shelter; if once more disturbed we are told it does not again quit its hiding-place; and, according to Azara, will even allow itself to be taken with the hand rather than leave its cover. As the breeding season approaches it becomes more lively, and utters a penetrating cry.
THE MACUCA.
The MACUCA(Trachypelmus Brasiliensis) represents a division of theCrypturidæpossessing well-developed tail-feathers. The characteristics of this group are powerful bodies; short thin necks; small heads; strong, arched, and much-rounded wings, in which the fifth quill exceeds the rest in length; a moderately short, slightly-rounded tail, which is entirely concealed beneath the feathers of the upper covers; and strong feet, furnished with short, slightly-rounded toes. The hinder toe is very small, and placed high. Upon the back the plumage is reddish brown, marked with undulatory black lines; the breast and belly are yellowish grey; the leg-feathers have dark markings, and each side of the throat is decorated with a reddish yellow line. The plumage of the Macuca is reddish brown, broadly marked with black upon the back; the belly and breast are of paler hue, and more delicately striped; the throat is whitish, and the sides of the neck mottled with black and white. The eye is greyish brown; the beak dark brown above, light grey at its sides; and the foot lead-colour. This species is eighteen inches and two-thirds long, and thirty-one inches broad; the wing measures seven, and the tail four inches.
The Macuca, we learn from the Prince von Wied, inhabits the large forests of the warmer portion of South America. It runs with facility, and passes the day in searching for fruits and berries upon the ground. As night approaches it rises, with a very peculiar rustling of its wings, on to the branches of the trees. The cry of this species is deep, dull, and resonant, and is heard most frequently in the early morning and evening. The stomachs of some specimens examined by the above naturalist contained red berries, large hard fruit, and the remains of beetles and insects, together with gravel and small stones.
The same authority states that the Macuca lays nine or ten large eggs, of a blueish green colour, which are deposited in a slight depression in the ground, about September, and that the females brood with so much zeal that upon several occasions they allowed themselves to be seized by his dogs rather than desert their little family. The flesh of the Macuca is highly esteemed, and consequently this bird is an object of ardent pursuit to the sportsman, who sometimes allures it by imitating its cry. A great variety of snares are also employed for its capture by night.
The SPUR-FOWLS (Galloperdices) seem to constitute a distinct group, remarkable on account of the formidable character of their spurs, and the richness and variety of their colours, as exemplified in
THE PAINTED SPUR-FOWL.
The PAINTEDSPUR-FOWL(Galloperdix Lunulosa)—See Coloured Plate XXXI. In this beautiful species the male has the head, face, and neck variegated with black and white, the feathers being black, with white streaks and triangular spots, the head mostly black; the upper plumage and wings rich chestnut, with white spots on the back, sides of the neck, shoulders, and wing-covers; primaries earthy brown, tail dark sepia-brown, glossed with green in old birds; beneath, the throat and neck are variegated black and white, changing on the neck to ochreous buff, with small triangular black marks, which disappear on the abdomen; the flanks, thigh-covers, and under tail-covers dull chestnut. Bill blackish, orbits and irides red-brown, legs horny brown. Length, thirteen inches, wing six, tail five, tarsus one inch and a half.
These birds are found in Southern India, in the jungles of the Eastern Ghauts, and upon the Hill country in the vicinity of those mountains. They have been taken in the neighbourhood of Pondicherry and the Ghauts, near Bellary, Cuddapah, and Hyderabad; in Bengal and the Himalayas they are unknown. They are generally associated in small flocks, keeping to the low shrubs and brushwood, and seeking their food among fallen leaves and low herbage. Jerdon kept several individuals for a long time, but found them too pugnacious and quarrelsome for domestication. Their tail is carried erect, like that of the Jungle Fowl. A fine specimen of this species was brought to the Zoological Gardens, London, where its beauty and vivacity attracted general admiration.
This order comprises a number of remarkable birds, conspicuous among which are the OSTRICHES, with wings so strangely disproportionate to the size of their bodies as to have given rise to many strange fables amongst the Eastern nations concerning their origin. In North-eastern Asia the legend runs that these huge birds, inflated with pride at their superior size and strength, looked down upon their feathered companions with contempt, and, desirous of exhibiting their powers of flight, upon one occasion made a vain attempt to reach the sun. Phœbus, angry at such presumption, punished their temerity by singeing off their wings, and thus causing them to fall heavily to earth. In so doing they struck their breasts violently upon the ground, and received a mark that, together with the shortness of their pinions, has been reproduced through all successive generations, as a terrible warning against vainglorious aspirations.
Another and more ancient fable represents the Ostrich as the offspring of the camel and some strange feathered occupant of the desert.
The members of this order are birds of great size, with rather short, blunt beaks, in which the orifices of the nostrils are placed at a short distance behind the tip. In one family, however, the bill is comparatively long and slender. The head is moderately large, the neck very long, and the body exceedingly powerful; the wings are extraordinarily short, while the legs, on the contrary, are long and muscular; the large strong foot is furnished with two, three, or four toes. The feathers and quills of the tail are undeveloped, and the rest of the plumage is so lax as to have somewhat the appearance of hair. The sight and hearing of the BREVIPENNES is excellent, but their senses of taste and feeling very deficient. All are shy and cautious in their habits, but on the approach of danger they exhibit but little sagacity in their wild attempts at flight. Amongst themselves they live at peace, except during the period of incubation, and when in captivity show themselves to be almost incapable of attachment.
Africa produces one, America three, and Oceania no fewer than nine species of these birds, whilst in Europe and Asia they are unrepresented. Everywhere they occupy dry, sandy plains or tracts covered with scanty vegetation, and wander over these dreary wastes, either alone or in flocks, in search of the plants and small creatures upon which they subsist. Although not actually voracious in their appetites, no substance, however indigestible, seems to come amiss to them, and a variety of objects are frequently swallowed that their stomachs utterly reject. The incubation of these birds is very remarkable. Some are monogamous, others polygamous; but in all cases, or at least with few exceptions, the male usually undertakes all the parental duties, and behaves in every respect as a "mother" to the young, whilst the female, after depositing her eggs, exhibits but slight interest in her progeny.
THE OSTRICH.
THE OSTRICH (Struthio camelus).
THE OSTRICH (Struthio camelus).
THE OSTRICH (Struthio camelus).
The OSTRICH(Struthio camelus) is at once recognisable by its very powerful body, long and partially bare throat, and small flat head. The moderately long, depressed, and straight bill is rounded at its extremity, and has the open longitudinal nostrils prolonged nearly half-way down the beak. The large brilliant eyes are protected by lashes, and the open uncovered ears lined with a hairy growth. The long legs are bare or only overspread with a few bristles on the thighs, while the tarsi are covered with large scales, and the feet furnished with but two toes: the innermost of which is armed with a large, broad, blunt claw. The wings are furnished with waving plumes, and two bare shafts, not unlike porcupine's quills. In this bird the sternum has no keel, but is simply convex, shield-like, and covered with a callous pad or elastic cushion, having a hard rough surface unclothed with feathers, on which the birds support their bodies when reposing on the ground. The thick curly plumage differs in its coloration according to the sex of the bird. In the male the small rump-feathers are coal-black, the flowing wing and tail feathers of a dazzling whiteness. The colour of the female is a brownish grey, mingled with dirty white. The young resemble the mother after the first moulting. The height of the fully-grown male is eight feet, and his length from the tip of the beakto the end of the tail at least six feet; the weight of the body is about one hundredweight and a half. These large and remarkable birds inhabit the vast deserts and barren steppes of Southern Africa, and were formerly far more numerous than they are now. Lichtenstein, who wrote at the commencement of this century, mentions having seen flocks containing as many as 300 individuals in the country near the Cape, but at the present day they are usually met with in small families, consisting of but one male and from two to four females. In such countries as are not subjected to any violent changes of temperature, they remain from one year to another within a certain limited district, provided it affords them ample means of subsistence, and a large supply of water, which is indispensable. As regards the development of their senses, these birds are very unequally gifted; their power of sight is extensive, whilst their taste and hearing are comparatively deficient. The cry of the Ostrich, which is often uttered at night, is a loud, dolorous, and stridulous sound, and in the stillness of the desert plains may be heard to a great distance. Some have compared it to the roar of the lion, but Dr. Tristram, from whom we borrow the following account of the habits of this bird, describes it as more like the hoarse lowing of an ox in pain. The note of the Ostrich during the day or when feeding he describes as being very different—a sort of hissing chuckle. The beauty of its wings and tail-feathers, which are as highly prized by the Bedouins for the decoration of tombs and of the tents and spear-heads of their sheikhs as they are for head-dresses among Western nations, have caused its chase to be a favourite employment of all desert tribes, and good skins fetch very high prices in the native markets. This bird never approaches settled habitations, and very rarely cultivated lands; it usually selects an open space where it is safe from surprise, and where by its fleetness it "scorneth the horse and his rider."
Plate 30. Cassell's Book of BirdsHASTINGS TRAGOPAN ____ CERIORNIS MELANOCEPHALUS(one third Nat. size)
Plate 30. Cassell's Book of BirdsHASTINGS TRAGOPAN ____ CERIORNIS MELANOCEPHALUS(one third Nat. size)
Plate 30. Cassell's Book of Birds
HASTINGS TRAGOPAN ____ CERIORNIS MELANOCEPHALUS
(one third Nat. size)
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"The capture of the Ostrich is the greatest feat of hunting to which the Arab sportsman aspires, and in richness of booty it ranks next to the plunder of a caravan. So wary is the bird, and so open are the vast plains over which it roams, that no ambuscades or artifices can be employed, and the vulgar resource of dogged perseverance is the only mode of pursuit. The horses to be employed undergo a long and painful training: abstinence from water and a diet of dry dates being considered the best means for strengthening their wind. The hunters set forth with small skins of water strapped under their horses' bellies, and a scanty allowance of food for four or five days distributed judiciously about their saddles. The Ostrich generally lives in companies of from four to six individuals, which do not appear to be in the habit, under ordinary circumstances, of wandering more than twenty or thirty miles from their head-quarters. When descried, two or three of the hunters follow the herd, at a gentle gallop, endeavouring merely to keep the birds in sight without alarming them or driving them at full speed, when they would soon be lost to view. The rest of the pursuers leisurely proceed in a direction at right angles to the course which the Ostriches have taken, knowing by experience their habit of running in a circle. Posted on the best look-out they can find, they await for hours the anticipated route of the game, calculating upon intersecting their path. If fortunate enough to detect them, the relay sets upon the now fatigued flock, and frequently succeeds in running one or two down; though a horse or two generally falls exhausted in the pursuit."
The Ostrich when once taken offers no resistance beyond kicking out sideways. Its speed has been calculated, by Dr. Livingstone, at twenty-six miles an hour, and yet the South African Ostrich is smaller than the northern species; Dr. Tristram, who, in the Sahara, measured the stride of the latter when bounding at full speed, found it to be from twenty-two to twenty-eight feet. If Dr. Livingstone's calculation be at all correct, the speed of the Ostrich is unequalled by any other cursorial animal. Portions of plants, grass, seeds, and insects form the principal food of these birds, but nothing that they can by any possibility swallow seems to come amiss to them; even should theobject be of such a nature as to be utterly indigestible by their stomachs. Brehm mentions that upon more than one occasion his bunch of keys was thus appropriated by an Ostrich, and cites an instance in which a great variety of small articles made of metal, such as coins, keys, nails, and bullets, together with a considerable quantity of gravel and pebbles, were found upon dissection in the stomach of a single individual. Small quadrupeds and birds they also enjoy amazingly, and an authority, quoted by Brehm, affirms that one of these voracious creatures that was kept about a farm-house, entered the yard, and seeing a fine broad of ducklings running about after their mother, coolly swallowed them one after the other with no more ceremony than if they had been so many oysters. Nor is the thirst of these birds less remarkable, for Anderson assures us that when engaged in drinking they seem so engrossed as to have neither eyes nor ears for anything around them; day by day the same spot is visited in order to obtain water, until regular beaten tracks are formed, that have often misled travellers in the African desert, and caused them to imagine they had discovered the footprints of man. The female Ostrich deposits her numerous eggs in a shallow hollow in the sand, only a few inches deep, but about one yard in diameter; round this a slight wall is scraped together, and against it the numerous eggs are placed upon end, in such a manner as to occupy the least possible space. Several females lay in the same spot, so that it is not uncommon to find as many as thirty, or, according to Livingstone, as forty-five eggs in one nest. During the night the male bird broods, whilst in the daytime the eggs are covered with sand and left exposed to the sun's rays for hours at a time. Several eggs usually lie scattered around the nest; these are supposed to be intended as food for such of the young as first emerge from the shell. Solitary eggs are also left lying at random all over the country, and are named by the Bechuans 'losetla.' It is from this habit, most probably, that want of parental instinct is laid to the charge of the Ostrich; moreover, it is certain that when surprised by man with their young, before the latter are able to run, the parent bird usually scuds off alone and leaves its offspring to their fate. To do otherwise would be self-sacrifice, as it is aware of its inability to defend itself or its poults, and on the open desert it cannot, like other cursorial birds, mislead the pursuer or conceal its brood in herbage. The young are hatched in six or seven weeks, and make their appearance covered, not with feathers, but with a bristle-like growth, somewhat resembling the prickles on the back of a hedgehog. From the day they quit the shell, they not only run easily, but are fully competent to pick up their food from the ground, and within a fortnight are "entirely self-dependent." The following anecdote illustrative of the affection occasionally displayed by the Ostrich for its little family is given by Anderson, who was an eye-witness on the occasion, he and his friend, Mr. Galton, having come upon a male and female escorting a brood of young ones of about the size of Barn-door Fowls:—"The moment the parent birds became aware of our intention, they set off at full speed, the female leading the way, the young following in her wake, and the cock, though at some little distance, bringing up the rear of the family party. It was very touching to observe the anxiety the old birds evinced for the safety of their progeny. Finding that we were quickly gaining upon them, the male at once slackened his pace and diverged somewhat from his course; but seeing that we were not to be diverted from our purpose, he again increased his speed, and with wings drooping so as almost to touch the ground, he hovered round us now in wide circles, and then decreasing the circumference till he came almost within pistol-shot, when he abruptly threw himself on the ground, and struggled desperately to regain his legs, as it appeared, like a bird that has been badly wounded. Having previously fired at him I really thought he was disabled, and made quickly towards him, but this was only aruseon his part, for on my nearer approach he slowly rose, and began to run in an opposite direction to that of the female, who by this time was considerably ahead with her charge."
The eggs of the Ostrich are of an oval shape, and have a thick, glossy, yellowish white shell,marked with pale yellow. According to Hardy the weight of one fully equals that of twenty-four of the eggs laid by the Domestic Fowl. To travellers in the African deserts these huge eggs form a convenient and portable provision; their flavour is excellent, and the shell so thick that they keep perfectly fresh for a fortnight or three weeks. Tristram mentions having found Ostrich egg omelette a most valuable addition to his desert bill of fare. When two months old the young acquire a plumage similar to that of the adult female; this is retained by both sexes for two years, when the male exhibits black feathers and has attained his full size and strength. The young Ostrich is easily domesticated, and is often kept by the Arabs, living freely with the goats and camels, and showing no disposition to escape. In some villages they are a sort of public property and live in the bazaars, levying contributions for themselves from the fruit-stalls.
The Romans highly esteemed the flesh of the Ostrich, and the pseudo-Emperor Firmius is said to have devoured an entire bird at one meal; the brain was regarded as a choice delicacy, and to provide the Emperor Heliogabalus with a sufficient supper of this luxurious diet, six hundred Ostriches, we are told, lost their lives. They were also introduced into the Circus, and upon one occasion no less than one thousand of them, together with a number of other animals, fell victims to the cruel thirst for excitement that debased the populace of Rome. In all parts of Southern and Central Africa, the flesh, feathers, and eggs of the Ostrich are highly esteemed, and form most valuable articles of traffic. A skin is in some parts worth from forty to one hundred dollars, but the Arabs are in the habit of thinning the feathers so that the trader rarely obtains a specimen on which this tax has not been levied. Anderson describes a foot chase of these birds, witnessed by himself, on the banks of Lake Ngami. On this occasion the flock was entirely surrounded, and the terrified birds driven with loud cries and a variety of strange noises into the water. Moffat also gives an amusing account of another mode adopted by the Bushmen for their destruction. A skin is stuffed with straw so as to form a kind of saddle, and covered with feathers; this is placed upon a man's head, his legs are painted white, and with the head and neck of an Ostrich mounted upon a stick in one hand and his gun in the other, he steals amidst an unsuspecting party, and by imitating their gestures so completely deceives them as to his identity, that they make no attempt to avoid the treacherous intruder. Amongst the many ways employed to cook Ostrich eggs, Burchell mentions that the Hottentots prepare them by boring a small hole at one end; into this they insert a thin twig and stir the contents briskly over a fire of hot ashes; when thus prepared they are excellent.
The NANDUS (Rhea), as the American representatives of the Ostrich are called, closely resemble their African brothers in general formation, but have a somewhat shorter wing, and the foot furnished with three toes. The bill is flat, of the same length as the head, broad at its base, and rounded at its tip, and very similar to that of the Ostrich. The toes are moderately long, connected by a skin at their base, and armed with straight sharp claws, which are compressed at their sides, bluntly rounded at their upper surface, and sharply ridged beneath. The wings are furnished with long plumes and terminated by a spur; the tail-feathers are entirely wanting. The region of the eye, cheek-stripes, and a ring covered with bristles that encircles the ear, are unfeathered and covered with a wrinkled skin; the feathers on the head and throat are small, narrow, and pointed; those on the rump are large, broad, and rounded with a soft flowing web; the eyelids are furnished with large stiff bristles. The male and female are almost alike in colour, but differ in size. We are now acquainted with three members of the above group.
THE TRUE NANDU, OR AMERICAN OSTRICH.
The TRUENANDU, or AMERICANOSTRICH(Rhea Americana), has the plumage on the crownof the head, upper throat, nape, and upper breast, and the bristles on the cheek-stripes of a blackish hue; the centre of the throat is yellow, the rest of the neck and cheeks are light lead-grey, and the back, sides of the breast, and wings brownish grey; the other portions of the under side are dirty white. The eyes are pearl-grey, the bare parts of the face flesh-colour; the beak is greyish brown, and the foot grey. The female is distinguishable by the paler tints of her neck and breast. An old female measured by the Prince von Wied was fifty-two inches and two-thirds in length, and seven feet across the span of the wings.