PALANEDEA, Lath. Tern. KAMIC III Bill short, conico-convex, much curved at the point, compressed throughout its length ; the upper mandible arched, the lower shorter, obtuse ; nasal foss large ; head small, covered with down, and armed with a slender and flexible horn ; nostrils remote from the base of the bill, lateral, oval, open ; legs short, thick, nakedness of the tibia very inconsiderable ; toes very long, the lateral con nected with the intermediate by a short membrane ; claws moderate and pointed, that of the hinder toe long, and almost straight ; wings ample, and spurs on the wing lets.
. P. cornuta, Lath. &c. Horned Kamichi, or Horned Screamer. Body blackish above, white beneath ; under side of the wings reddish ; bill and legs black ; irides golden. The horn in front is three or four inches long, and two or three lines thick at the lise, straight through its length, except at the tip, which bends a little forward ; and its base is inclosed in a sheath, of a substance like the barrel of a quill. Independently, too, of this horn on the head, the kamichi is furnished with two strong triangular spurs on each winglet, which project when the wing is folded, and of which the upper is longer and thicker than the under, forming processes of the metacarpal bone, and having their base sheathed like that of the horn. The
form of the body resembles that of the turkey ; but is larger and more fleshy, the ordinary length being two feet four inches, and the expanse of wing more than five feet. This bird, though endowed with strength, and fur nished with formidable offensive armour, courts solitude and repose, and seems to contend only with its own species, from jcalouscy in the pairing season. It resides in the half-flooded savannahs of Brazil, Guiana, and probably of other regions in South America It rarely perches, and never enters the forest, but stalks across the plains with a sedate pace, and with the neck and head erect, occasionally uttering a very loud and horrible scream. The male and female, when paired, manifest a mutual and ardent attach ment ; and if one of them dies, or is taken away, the other shows every symptom of grief, and is apt to pine to death. Their nest is placed among bushes or sedges ; and the fe male, in January or February, lays two eggs of the size of those of a goose. The kamichi pastures on grass, and eats the seeds of several sorts of plants, but never, it is alleged, live upon prey. The flesh of the old bird is tough and ill-tasted ; but that of the young, though very dark, is frequently eaten by the natives of South America.