. The Cambridge natural history. Zoology. PSOPHIIDAE 257 with white flecks; the upper parts are glossed with bronzy- purple, the bill is greenish. A. scoloimceus, the Carau, Courlan, Lamenting Bird, or Crazy Widow, ranging from Guiana to Argen- tina, has only the head and neck streaked. Generally solitary or found in family-parties, these birds conceal themselves by day among reeds or damp forest-vegetation ; they rise with difficulty after a preliminary run, and take low, brief flights, the legs hanging down and the wings flapping slowly, while the latter are elevated for a descent. They walk
. The Cambridge natural history. Zoology. PSOPHIIDAE 257 with white flecks; the upper parts are glossed with bronzy- purple, the bill is greenish. A. scoloimceus, the Carau, Courlan, Lamenting Bird, or Crazy Widow, ranging from Guiana to Argen- tina, has only the head and neck streaked. Generally solitary or found in family-parties, these birds conceal themselves by day among reeds or damp forest-vegetation ; they rise with difficulty after a preliminary run, and take low, brief flights, the legs hanging down and the wings flapping slowly, while the latter are elevated for a descent. They walk quickly and in stately fashion, limping and jerking the tail; at night they roost on trees. The resonant, melancholy wail is varied by a clucking note, or by an angry cry when breeding. The shallows of streams or marshes are diligently searched for molluscs, which the formation of the beak enables the bird easily to open or break, but small reptiles, insects, and worms are also eaten. The flat nest of herb- age, placed among reeds, contains from ten to twelve white eggs, as large as those of a Turkey, clouded with pale brown and purple.^ Fam. lY. Psophi- idae.—The so-called Trumpeters form a single genus of six species inhabiting tropical South America, and some- what resemble long- necked and long- legged Fowls, the beak being gallin- aceous and the tibia partly bare. The long metatarsi are scutellated in front; the wings and tail are short, the ten primaries, 1 For the habits, (/. Sclaterand Hudson, Argentine Ornithology, ii. 1889, pp. 159- 161 ; Gosse, Birds of Jamaica, pp. 355-363 ; Gundlach, /./. 0., 1875, pp. 353-355. VOL. ]X S. Fig. -Truuipeter. f£.Z. Psojjliia crepitans, x. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Harmer, S. F. (Sidney Frederic), Sir, 1862-; Shipley, A. E. (Arthur Everett)
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Keywords: ., bookauthorsh, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectzoology
