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Show 344 AVES. nostrils pierced in a broad membranous space at the base ofthe beak and covered by a cartilaginous scale; a heavy carriage, short wings, and the bony sternum diminished by two emargina. tions, so wide and deep that they occupy nearly the whole sides, its crest being truncated obliquely forwards, so that the sharp point of the fourchette is only joined to it by a liga· ment, circumstances which, by greatly impairing the strength of the pectoral muscles, render it difficult for them to fly. Their tail generally consists of fourteen quills, and sometimes of eighteen. The lower larynx is very simple, and consequently there is none of them that sings agreeably. They have an extremely large crop, and a very vigorous gizzard. With the exception of the Hocco, they all lay their eggs on the ground, on a few carelessly arranged blades of straw or grass. Each male usually has several females, and takes no sort of trouble either with the nest or the young ones, which com· monly are very numerous, and most usually able to run as soon as they have left the shell. This order is chiefly composed of one very natural family, remarkable for having furnished us with most of our domestic poultry, and abundance of excellent game; one in which the anterior toes are united at base by a short membrane, and indented along the edges, and which it is impossible to divide into genera, except by having recourse to characters of but little importance, drawn from some of the appendages of the head. In order, however, to avoid an excessive multiplica· tion of beings, we will associate certain genera with them whose feet are deficient in that membrane, some of which, the Pigeons, connect the Gallinacere with the Passerinre, while the others, the Hoazins, Buff., somewhat approximate to the Touracos. ALECToR, Merr.(l) The Hoccos are large Gallinacere of America, which resemble Turkeys, with a broad, rounded·tail, formed of large and stiff quills. ( 1) Alec tor is the Greek name of the Cock. GALLINACEJE. 345 There is a singular conformation in the trachea of several of them. They Jive in the woods, feed on buds and fruit, perch and build on trees, are very social and easily domesticated. Gmelin and Latham have divided them into Hoaaos and YAcous, but upon very undeterminate characters. We subdivide them in the following manner. THE Hoocos, properly so called, Buff.-MITous, of Brazil, &c.- CnAx, Lin. Have a strong beak, its base surrounded with a skin, which is sometimes highly coloured, in which the nostrils are pierced; on the head is a tuft of long, narrow, erect feathers, curled at the tips. They are the size of Turkeys, and like them fly up into trees. They are bred by the Americans; and individuals are sometimes sent to Europe, so variously coloured, that we are at a loss how to characterize their species. The most common, or Orax alector, L.; Mitou-Poranga, Marcgr.; Buff. Ois., II, pl. xiii; Vieill. Galer., 199. Black; the lower part of the belly white; cera of the beak, yellow. The trachea makes but one slight curve before it enters the thorax. Some of these birds, such as Orax globicera, L., Enl. 86; Edw., 295, I, have a larger or smaller globular tubercle on the base of the beak. Among both ~f these species individuals are to be found in which the body is Irregularly striped with white or fawn colour. Albin., II, 32. (I) The whole upper part is sometimes fawn coloured.(2) Those of Peru, Orax rubra, L., Enl. 125, are all of a vivid chesnutcolour above, the head and neck being variegated with black and white.(3) OunAx, Cuv. ThePauxi(4) have a shorter and thicker beak, the membrane of its base, as well as the greater part of their head being covered with a short and dense plumage resembling velvet. The most common species, Orax pauxi, L.; Pierre, &c.; Enl. 78; Vieill. Galer. 200 (The Stone Bird), has an oval tuberde on the base of its beak, of a (1) This appears to be the true Mexican Hoazin of Hernandez. (2) Such is the female described by Azzara, Voy. IV, p. 169. From the ac· counts of other travellers, it appears that the females, also, are fawn coloured. C (3) See also Or®; Jasciolata, Spix, LXII, a;-C. Blumenbachii, Id, LXIV. Add, r~ gk>bulosa, Id. LXV and LXVI;-C. rubirostris, Id., LXVII. ,(4) Pauxiis the name by which Hernandez designates them. Ourax, the Athentan name for the Heath-Cock. VoL. I.-2 T |