Cassell's book of birds; vol. 2Brehm, Alfred Edmund
Science
Cassell's book of birds; vol. 2
Brehm, Alfred Edmund
Birds
The ARAPONGA (_Chasmarhynchus variegatus_) is also white over the greater
portion of its body, but the delicate purity of its hue is marred by
a slight intermixture of grey. The wings are deep black, and the top
of the head pale brown. The front of the throat is bare, but studded
with a multitude of small, fleshy, worm-shaped appendages, of a deep
brown colour; the beak and feet are black. The plumage of the female
is greenish, and on her throat the strange appendages of the male are
replaced by feathers.
THE TRUE BELL BIRD.
The TRUE BELL BIRD (_Chasmarhynchus carunculatus_) is entirely
snow-white. The male is furnished with a very remarkable wattle at the
base of the beak, which is hollow, black, and muscular. When the bird is
under the influence of no emotion, this wattle is flaccid and pendent,
but when excited he raises and inflates this fleshy horn until it attains
a length of about two inches, and a thickness of half an inch at its
root. Schomburghk tells us that the female is larger than her mate, but
her fleshy lappet is proportionately considerably smaller. The young
resemble the mother, and present a very remarkable appearance whilst in
their state of transition.
THE THREE WATTLED BELL BIRD.
The THREE-WATTLED BELL BIRD, or HAMMERER (_Chasmarhynchus
tricarunculatus_), is furnished with three fleshy lappets, one of which
grows above the base of the beak, whilst the two others appear as
prolongations of the corners of the mouth. The colour of these lappets,
as also of the bill and feet, is blackish; that of the eye, light
brownish red. The head and throat of the male are bright chestnut-brown,
and the nape and upper part of the breast pure white. The female, whose
plumage is olive-green, streaked with a lighter shade on the under side,
is entirely without the appendages that distinguish her mate. The young
resemble the mother. The length of this species is twelve inches; the
wing measures six and a half, and the tail four inches; the lappet on
the upper part of the beak is from two inches and a half to three inches
long, and those at the corners of the mouth about two inches and a half.
In the young the fleshy appendages are mere rudiments.
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