. The naturalist in La Plata . ven after the birds haveceased to be visible. The rails, active, sprightly birds with powerfuland varied voices, are great performers ; but owingto the nature of the ground they inhabit and totheir shy, suspicious character, it is not easy toobserve their antics. The finest of the Platan railsis the ypecaha, a beautiful, active bird about the sizeof the fowl. A number of ypecahas have theirassembling place on a small area of smooth, levelground, just above the water, and hemmed in bydense rush beds. First, one bird among the rushesemits a powerful cry, thrice rep
. The naturalist in La Plata . ven after the birds haveceased to be visible. The rails, active, sprightly birds with powerfuland varied voices, are great performers ; but owingto the nature of the ground they inhabit and totheir shy, suspicious character, it is not easy toobserve their antics. The finest of the Platan railsis the ypecaha, a beautiful, active bird about the sizeof the fowl. A number of ypecahas have theirassembling place on a small area of smooth, levelground, just above the water, and hemmed in bydense rush beds. First, one bird among the rushesemits a powerful cry, thrice repeated ; and this is a Music and Dancing in Nature 267 note of invitation, quickly responded to by otherbirds from all sides as they hurriedly repair to theusual place. Tn a few moments they appear, to thenumber of a dozen or twenty, bursting from therushes and running into the open space, andinstantly beginning the performance. This is atremendous screaming concert. The screams theyutter have a certain resemblance to the human. Dance of Ypecaha Rails. voice, exerted to its utmost pitch and expressiveof extreme terror, frenzy, and despair. A long,piercing shriek, astonishing for its vehemence andpower, is succeeded by a lower note, as if in thefirst the creature had well nigh exhausted itself:this double scream is repeated several times, andfollowed by other sounds, resembling, as they riseand fall, half smothered cries of pain and moans ofanguish. Suddenly the unearthly shrieks are 268 The Naturalist in La Plata. renewed in all their power. While screaming thebirds rush from side to side, as if possessed withmadness, the wings spread and vibrating, the longbeak wide open and raised vertically. Thisexhibition lasts three or four minutes, after whichthe assembly peacefully breaks up. The singular wattled, wing-spurred, and long-toed jacana has a remarkable performance, whichseems specially designed to bring out the concealed K A
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjecta, booksubjectzoology
