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Show 1883.] MR. A. BOUCARD ON BIRDS FROM YUCATAN. 459 164. MELOPELIA LEUCOPTERA (Linn.) ; Lawr. I.e. p. 207. This bird abounds in all parts of Yucatan. In the dry season thousands of them congregate in the vicinity of an aguada to drink. From ten o'clock until four they line the shore and are very tame ; at other seasons they are more solitary, and often very shy. 165. CHAM^EPELIA RUFIPENNIS, Bp.; Lawr. I. c. p. 207. This little Dove abounds in all parts, is quite tame, and often becomes half domesticated. 166. LEPTOPTILA ALBIFRONS, Bp. Leptoptila fulviventris, Lawr. Ann. N. Y. Ac. Sc. ii. p. 287. This bird is found in all parts of the State, and is generally quite shy. Though often seen searching for its food in the roads, it is more properly an inhabitant of the more lonely forests, where its cooing may be heard all day long in its own peculiar half sad, half cheerful tone. Its nest is built upon an inclined or falling branch of a tree, and is composed of a few small sticks to prevent the two small white eggs from falling to the ground. This bird is much prized for its flesh among the better sportsmen of Yucatan. These Yucatan birds have the rufous tint of the underparts slightly darker than is usual in Guatemalan examples ; but tbe difference is too slight to be considered of specific value. 167. CRAX GLOBICERA, Linn. A very shy bird, living far in the interior of uninhabited forests. Its walk is cautious and almost noiseless; it is generally found in pairs, though the males often travel alone. It spends most of its time upon the ground, where it finds its food by scratching among the leaves. In the morning and evening it mounts upon the trees which bear its favourite fruit, to feast upon the best fruits of the forest. It ascends not by a single flight, but by shorts flights from limb to limb, until it reaches the fruit. While there it makes no noise ; but at every moment it listens for the approach of an enemy, which once discovered, it utters a short impatient cluck and flies away to a very great distance. The song resembles the deep distant bass roaring of the Tiger, or the gentle blowing in the bunghole of a barrel. The flesh of this bird is highly valued as food; but the bones are always carefully kept away from the dogs and cats, as they are said to be very poisonous. It is sometimes domesticated, though it rarely lives beyond a few months. 168. PENELOPE PURPURASCENS, Wagl. The " Cojolito" (in Maya, "Kosh") is abundant only in certain localities. I know of but one forest in Yucatan (Yak-Jonat) where this bird is found; but in this forest I think I have seen 800 or more. It is very shy, lives mostly upon the trees, where it feeds upon |