Part 94

Throat naked.

Sexes similar …

2. =Penelope.=

Sexes different …

3. =Penelopina.=

Outer quills emarginated.

Gular fold short …

4. =Pipile.=

Gular fold lengthened; linear …

5. =Aburria.=

=B.= No central gular fold.

Throat feathered; outer quills emarginated …

6. =Chamæpetes.=

Throat naked; with a central line of bristly feathers; outer quills entire …

7. =Ortalida.=

GENUS ORTALIDA, MERREM.

Ortalida, MERREM, Av. rar. Icones et Desc. II, 1786, 40 (GRAY). (Type, Phasianus motmot, L.)

Ortalida maccalli.]

Of Ortalida, as characterized above, Messrs. Sclater and Salvin enumerate eighteen species; like the rest of the family, all American. Of these only one has so far been detected within our limits, although it is by no means improbable that the O. poliocephala, Wagler (Sclater and Salvin, Pr. Zoöl. Soc. 1870, 537), may yet be detected in New Mexico or Arizona.

Ortalida vetula, var. maccalli, BAIRD.

THE TEXAS CHACALACCA.

Ortalida vetula, LAWRENCE, Ann. N. Y. Lyc. V, 1851, 116. (Not Penelope vetula, WAGLER, Isis, 1830, 1112, and 1831, 517.)—SCL. & SALV. P. Z. S. 1870, 538. (Considers it the same as P. vetula, WAGLER). Ortalida poliocephala, CASSIN, Illust. I, IX, 1855, 267, pl. xliv. (Not Penelope poliocephala, WAGLER, Isis, 1830, 1112.) Ortalida maccalli, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 611.—IB. M. Bound. II, Birds, 22.—DRESSER, Ibis, 1866, 24 (S. E. Texas, breeding).—LAWR. Ann. N. Y. IX, 209 (Yucatan).—SCL. & SALV. P. Z. S. 1870, 538 (Honduras, Vera Cruz, Guatemala).—REICHENB. Handb. der sp. Orn. Lief, VIII, 145. (Describes more adult specimens.)

SP. CHAR. Body above dark greenish-olive; beneath brownish-yellow, tinged with olive. Head and upper part of neck plumbeous. Tail-feathers lustrous green, all tipped with white, except the middle one. Feathers along the middle of the throat black; outer edge of primaries tinged with gray. Eyes brown. Bill and feet lead-colored. Length, 23.50; wing, 8.50; tail, 11.00.

HAB. Valley of the Rio Grande, and southward to Guatemala.

This form is distinguishable from O. vetula, as restricted, of which it is the northern representative, by the paler and less fulvous colors, and lighter—often nearly white—tips to the tail-feathers, besides other minor differences in coloration. The two cannot be separated specifically, however, since they undoubtedly grade into each other.

HABITS. This very remarkable bird, belonging as it does to a form peculiar to this continent, is the only species found within the limits of the United States, and only within a quite restricted area in the valley of the Rio Grande. Numerous species of this family are found in the warmer countries of America, especially Mexico and Central America, all or nearly all of which appear to be capable of domestication, and some of which, including the present species, have, in repeated instances, been quite as completely domesticated as our common Turkey.

Birds of the family to which the Texan species belongs differ in a very marked manner, in habits, from most Gallinaceæ, inasmuch as they not only live almost exclusively in deep forests, but are also remarkable for habitually frequenting trees, feeding upon their foliage, and building their nests within their branches, more in the manner of the smaller birds. They are all said to have loud and discordant voices, and are generally of a black or dark plumage.

Specimens of this bird were taken at Boquillo, in New Leon, in the spring of 1853, by Lieutenant Couch, who speaks of them as gregarious and as seeking their food wholly or in part on trees. According to Mr. Clark, they do not occur higher up the Rio Grande than the vicinity of Ringgold Barracks, inhabiting the deepest chaparrals, which they never quit. They are inactive, and for the most of the time sit about in flocks in these thickets, feeding on leaves. The Mexican name of Chacalacca is supposed to be derived from the noise with which at times they make the valleys ring, and which may be well imitated in kind, but not in strength, by putting the most stress upon the last two syllables. No sooner does one take up the song than others chime in from all quarters, till, apparently exhausted, the noise gradually dies off into an interlude, only to be again renewed. These concerts take place in the morning and evening. The birds are quite gentle, are easily tamed, and are said to cross with the common domestic fowl.