HOACTZIN, Iiii-fikt'sin (South American name), or Ilaxxa. A bird (Opisthocomus cris tatus) of Guiana and Brazil, possessing, many conflicting characteristics of structure, so that its place hi classification has been greatly in dispute. Sonic writers have regarded it as near ly related to the plantain-eaters; others to the eurassows. Most recent writers have placed it with or very near the OaRime, but generally as a separate order, the Opisthocomi. It has the general shape of a curassow, but in size is much smaller: is olive-color, varied with white above and deep bay below; and has a long pendent crest of loose yellow feathers. The tail is long and broadly tipped with yellow It lives in bands in the forest, frequents the borders of streams, feeds upon leaves and fruits, rarely leaving the lower trees and hushes. flying weak ly, and uttering a 'sharp grating hiss' as a call note. It feeds largely on a species of arum, which gives its flesh and whole body a vile musky odor, so that it is known in British Guiana as 'stink-bird.' On the Amazon it is called cigano,
or 'gypsy.' Its nest is rudely built of sticks on some low bush, and the eggs, three or four in number, are whitish with reddish-brown blotches. The character and actions of the young are, how ever, the most remarkable thing about this ex traordinary bird. They are hatched naked, and possess at birth well-developed claws on both the index (forefinger) and polies: (thumb) digits of the fore limb. Soon after hatching, the nest lings begin to crawl about. by hooking these claws about twigs or any object accessible, and so use their wings precisely as feet, holding on also by the bill. This is an interesting reminder of the condition of the wing in the most ancient of birds (see which used its anterior digits in much the same way. The young hoaetzin. however, sheds its claws after a few days. Consult Newton, Dictionary of Birds (London and New York. 1S96), where many fur ther references are given.