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G e n u s LII. T I N A M O U
N° i . Great T . N” 3. Variegated T.
2. Cinereous 4 - Little T.
BI L L long, blunt at the end ; noftrils placed in the middle;
Gape wide.
Sides of the head, and throat, not well furnifhed with feathers.
Tail very Ihort, often hid by the upper coverts.
Hind toe Ihort, and ufelels in walking; claws hollowed beneath.
The manners of the whole genus much like thofe of the firll-
defcribed.
The female biggeft in all the known fpecies.
Le Perdrix 4a Bréfil, B ri/, cm. î. p. 227. 4.
■ CREAT T . La Groffe Perdrix du Brefil,---------------- SLe
Magoua, Buf. oif. iv. p. 507. pi. 24.
Tinamou de Cayenne, PU ml. 476,
Macueagua, « .< « * * P- 53- N» <)— WiU. cm. p. .S3. pl. 2&.
Groffe Perdrix de la Guiane, Mem. Cay. vol. u. p. 269.
Great Eartridge, Defcr. Surin, ii. p. i 83.
Lev*. Muf.
DSSCRIPTZON. C I Z E o f a Fowl: length eighteen inches. Bill one inch and'
^ a quarter long, and blunt at the end, with a kind of furrow
on each fide of the upper mandible, in the middle of which the
noftrils.
noftrils are placed j the colour of it black : the top of the head’ is
deep rufous : the general colour of the reft of the body greyilh
brown, inclining to olive, with a mixture of white on the upper
part of the belly and fides, and of greenilh on- the neck : upper
part of the back, wing coverts, and tail, marked with dulky
tranfverfe fpots, feweft on the laft : the fides of the head,
throat, and fore part of the neck, not well clothed with feathers
* : the fecorrdary q.uills have a mixture of rufous -, and the
greater quills plain afh-colour : the tail is Ihort : the legs yeh-
lowilh brown ; the hind part of them very rough, the fcalea
Handing out, and giving the appearance of the bark of the fir-
tree
This is found in the woods of lèverai parts of South America, particularly
of Cayenne and Guiana ; and pafies the night perched on
the lower branches of the trees, two or three feet from the ground.
The female lays from twelve to fifteen eggs, the fize of thofe of
an Hen, and of a beautiful green colour. Makes the neft on the
ground, near the ftump of fome large tree ; and if difturbed, rolls
the eggs to another place, at a good diftance. The young follow
as foon as hatched, and hide themfelves on. the leaft approach of
danger. Is faid to have two broods in a year. Their food is
fruits and grain of all kinds, as well as worms and fnfeHls. The
Indians kill them frequently while roofting on- the trees, of
nights. The flelh is accounted very good, and the eggs alfo
reckoned a great dainty.
* In the Pl. enl. the fides of the head are painted redy and feem to be bare of
feathers; but in the fpecimens which we have feen, thofe parts are thinly covered
with ihort feathers, of the fame colour as the reft of the plumage.