The ornithology of Francis Willughby of Middleton in the county of Warwick Esq, fellow of the Royal Society in three books : wherein all the birds hitherto known, being reduced into a method sutable to their natures, are accurately described : the descriptions illustrated by most elegant figures, nearly resembling the live birds, engraven in LXXVII copper plates : translated into English, and enlarged with many additions throughout the whole work : to which are added, Three considerable discourses, I. of the art of fowling, with a description of several nets in two large copper plates, II. of the ordering of singing birds, III. of falconry / by John Ray ...

§. IV. The Brasilian Mitu or Mutu of Marggrave.

THis Bird, saith Marggrave, is of the Pheasant kind; the Spaniards also (as Nie∣rembergius tells us) call it a Pheasant. But we, partly for its bigness, partly for its colour, partly also for its gentle nature, easily becoming tame, but chiefly for that it spreads its Tail in like manner circularly, think that it ought rather to be ranked with the Peacock and Turkey, to which we have therefore subjoyned it. It is bigger than the common Cock or Hen. The length of its body from the Neck to the rise of the Tail is ten inches: The length of the Neck six inches. It is all over covered with black feathers, ex∣cept on the Belly and under the Tail, whereit is of a brown colour, almost like that of a Partridge. The feathers on the Head, Neck, and Breast are finer than the rest, and for softness and beauty comparable to black Velvet. On the top of the Head it hath black feathers complicated into a very low and flat cop, which one that carelesly be∣held the Bird would scarce take notice of, but when it is angry, or on other occasions it can erect them into a conspicuous crest. It hath a remarkable Bill, not thick, croo∣ked, about an inch and half long: The lower Chap is small, the upper almost four times bigger. The Bill is of a very bright carnation colour, but toward the tip white. Its Legs are like a Hens, ten inches long, to wit, four from the Feet to the Knees, and six above them, where they are covered with black feathers. It hath also four Toes, like a Hens, which from their rise to the first joynt are connected by an inter∣venient

skin, as in some other birds. It hath a Tail a foot long, like a Turkeys, which it always moves in breadth; crying Kit Kit like them: A well-shaped Head like a Gooses; a Neck about six inches long, as was before said: Brave, great black Eyes; and behind the Ears a white naked spot like a Hen. It is easily made tame; it roosts willingly on high upon trees like Turkeys. Finally, it hath very good and savoury flesh.

The Pauxi of Nieremberg, the Indian Hen of Aldrovandus, lib. 4. cap. 12. a variety of the Mitu.

It was (saith Nieremberg out of Fr. Hernandus) of the bigness of a Dunghil-Cock, or something bigger: Its feathers were of a black colour, but shining, and almost like a Peacocks: Its Bill red, crooked, and like a Parrots, &c. What was most remarka∣ble in, and peculiar to this Bird was a certain tumour fastened to the root of its Bill, where it was more slender, of the shape of a Pear, of the hardness of a stone, and of a blue colour, like that of the stone called Cyaneus or the Turcois.

Aldrovandus describes his Indian Hen, from a Picture, as I suppose, in this wise. From the Bill to the end of the Tail (which was white, and striped with black lines) it was black, which blackness yet did every where incline to blue. The vent and be∣ginning of the Tail underneath were white. Its Bill was strong, crooked, and red. Its Legs were almost of the same colour, but much paler, and in their hind part in∣clining to blue. The Claws were black. It carried on its forehead a great protube∣rance, of the shape of a Fig, and of a bluish colour. The Tail was long, not erect, as in our common Cocks and Hens, but extended in length, as in a Pie.

These birds differ not from the Mitu in any thing almost but that protube∣rance or excrescence at the beginning of the Bill. Nierembergius also makes mention of this variety in his tenth Book, Chap. 75. The Pauxi, saith he, (for so he there calls this Bird) hath a great head, which in some is plain or smooth, in others crested; in others instead of a crest of feathers arises a stone or globular body (a stone they call it though it be not over-hard) like an Egg, or bigger, of the colour of Soder. I wonder that Marggrave should make no mention of this bunch: Surely it was want∣ing in all the birds he saw. Whether this Bird be a Species distinct from the Mitu, or only accidentally different, we refer to further inquisition.

Notes

• If I under∣stand Marg∣grave aright.
• Under this word he com∣prehends also the thighs.
• Ornithol. lib. 14. cap. 12.