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 ...

§. V. The other Indian Cock of Aldrovandus, Mituporanga of Marggravius, Tepetototl of Nierembergius.

THere is also found (saith Marggrave) another kind of this Bird, which the Brasilians call Mituporanga, differing only in the Bill and feathers of the Head. This kind hath no long Bill, but an indifferently thick one, yet not so high as the Mitu, nor so crooked: The tip of both Chaps is black, all the rest of the Bill covered with a Saffron-coloured skin; the like whereto it hath also about the Eyes. It hath goodly, black Eyes. The Head and Neck covered with feathers of a deep black, like Velvet. On the top of the Head it hath curled feathers, twisted or turning up spirally, as far as the beginning of the Neck; which it can erect in the manner of a curled or frisled crest. All the rest of the Bird is black, wherewith is here and there mingled a gloss of green. About the vent it hath white feathers. The Legs are ci∣nereous, and of the figure of the Mitu's. The Tail black, but the extremities of its feathers white. This Bird also easily becomes very tame and familiar.

Of this Bird Nierembergius writes thus. The fawning and familiarity of Dogs doth not exceed the officiousness of the Tepetototl or Mountain Bird, which others call, Tecuecholi, and the Spaniards Natives of America a Pheasant, which is very tame and domestic: It is a bird of the bigness of a Goose, of a black shining co∣lour; yet having some feathers white underneath, about the Tail, at the ends of the Wings; ash-coloured Legs and Feet; a crooked Bill, partly cinereous, and partly yellow, and about its root as it were swelling out; a folded or curled crest; black Eyes, but a pale Iris. It is fed with Corn, made up into a mass or loaves, and baked, and with such like meat. Its flesh is fat, and good to eat, and not unlike that of well∣fed Turkeys. It is a very gentle Creature, and loving to man, and begs its food, when an hungry, by catching hold of the cloths of those that it lives in the house with:

And when it hath occasion to go into any Room, if the door be shut, it knocks at it with its Bill. If it can, and be permitted, it follows its Master; and when he comes home, receives him with great expression of joy and clapping its Wings.

Aldrovandus describes and sets forth the figure of this Bird under the title of Ano∣ther Indian Cock. The whole body (saith he) of this Bird was of a deep black: It wanted both Spurs and Tail, as also the Comb: Instead of which it had on its Head curled feathers. Its Bill was of two colours, partly yellow, to wit, toward the Head, partly black. The upper Chap of its Bill hooked. Where in other Cocks the holes of the Nosthrils are, there this Bird had a certain yellow protuberance, of the bigness of a Cherry. The Legs and Feet were covered with whitish annulary scales. Also some small feathers near the vent were white.

If this Bird be rightly described by Aldrovandus, it seems so to differ from the Mi∣tuporanga of Marggrave, as his Indian Hen above described doth from the Mitu, viz. by the Cherry-like protuberance on its Bill. Moreover, it differs also in that it wants a Tail, whereas the Mituporanga hath a sufficient long one. But Aldrovandus saw not the bird it self, but only its Picture, which whether or no it were exact, and not taken when the bird had lost its Tail, there is some reason to doubt.

Notes

• The Mitu.
• Or per∣chance deep, altum the word is.
• Lib. 10. cap. 68.
• Lib. 14. cap. 10.
• Tabellae he calls them.