Cassell's book of birds; vol. 3Brehm, Alfred Edmund
Science
Cassell's book of birds; vol. 3
Brehm, Alfred Edmund
Birds
The Surukua inhabits the primitive forests of Southern Brazil and Northern
Paraguay, and passes its life in a state of the utmost inanition,
remaining motionless for hours together, upon a branch, and scarcely
rousing sufficiently to turn its head at the sight of a passing insect; so
complete is this condition of dreamy indolence, that Azara assures us one
of these birds may be struck down from its perch with a stick. The flight
of this species is soft and owl-like. The eggs are deposited in holes
excavated in such nests of the termite as are situated upon trees. Azara
mentions having seen a Surukua hanging like a Woodpecker from the moss,
as it hollowed out a cavity with its beak, his mate meanwhile remaining
quietly perched upon a neighbouring branch, and apparently stimulating her
mate to renewed exertions by her gestures and glances; at this period,
the constantly-repeated cry of the male resembles the syllables "pio,
pio." The eggs, two to four in number, and of a white colour, are laid in
September. The flesh of the Surukua is excellent.
THE POMPEO.
The POMPEO (_Trogon viridis_) is of a splendid steel-blue, shimmering
with green on the crown of the head, nape, sides of the throat, and upper
breast; the back, shoulders, and upper wing-covers are of a metallic
green, shading into blue on the rump; the belly and vent are bright, deep
yellow. The exterior feathers of the wing-covers and the quills are black,
the latter edged with white; the centre tail-feathers are green, bordered
with black towards the extremity. The next in order are black with a green
edge; the three outermost are white at the tip and on the exterior web. In
the female the back is deep grey, the belly pale yellow, and the feathers
of the wing-covers delicately striped with white. The eyes of both sexes
are brown, the beak pale greenish white, and foot blackish grey. This
species is twelve inches and three-quarters long, and eighteen inches and
a half broad; the wing measures five inches and three-quarters, and the
tail five inches and one-third.
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