. Edinburgh journal of natural history and of the physical sciences . IMost nations have some legends regarding the foundation of their capital cities; and the site of Mexico was said to have been fixed by this bird. The Mexican fable was as follows:— The Navatelcas were savages residing in forests and mountains, without laws or government; they worshipped the sun, and sacrificed these birds to his honour. Mexi the great captain and legislator appeai-ed, and conducted by Vitzliputsh, the god of their nation, he led the savages in search of distant lands. Aided by their deity, his arms were irr
. Edinburgh journal of natural history and of the physical sciences . IMost nations have some legends regarding the foundation of their capital cities; and the site of Mexico was said to have been fixed by this bird. The Mexican fable was as follows:— The Navatelcas were savages residing in forests and mountains, without laws or government; they worshipped the sun, and sacrificed these birds to his honour. Mexi the great captain and legislator appeai-ed, and conducted by Vitzliputsh, the god of their nation, he led the savages in search of distant lands. Aided by their deity, his arms were irresistible, and his empire soon became extensive. Being in doubt where to establish his capital, a priest announced that it should be built on the spot r»liere a Couroucoui was seen perched on a tree, the roots of which were inserted on a solid rock. The spot pointed out was the present site of Mexico. Thus did a barbarous people account, by an idle prodigy, for the situation of a city on an island in the centre of a lake—a spot evidently pointed out by nature as the most secure situation for the capital of a mighty empire. Fig. 2 Reinwardt's Couroucoui (T. ReinwardiiiJ, is a native of Java. The plumage of this species is more compact than that of its American congeners; and also differs from them in having its general form and bill more slender, while the tooth- ing of the edges of the bill is less marked. Fig. 3.—The Black-neeked Couroucoui (T. AtricoUisJ, is a native of Cayenne; and one of the most timid of its kind. Fig. 4.—The IMexican Couroucoui ("T. Mexicanus), is a recently discovered species, and a bird of great beauty. There ai-e several fine specimens in the Edinburgh Uni- versity Royal Museum, from one of which we figured our subject, by permission of Pro- fessor Jameson. Fig. 5.—The Flower Couroucoui, male (T. NaHni), and Fig. 6., the female. This species is more nearly allied to the Asiatic bird than to those of South America. It inhabits Southern A
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