The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-10-03
A SHEPHERD r


Caring for n Flock.
The natives of Venezuela and adjoin-
ing countries on the north side of the
river Amazon often avail themselves of
the services of 4 native crane to care for
their poultry, and also, il the place of
%collies, Or shepherd dogs, used by North
Americans and Europeans, to guard
and herd their domestic animals.
This remarkable bird, which the In
dams cal yakamik and ornithologists
Psophia crepitans is found in a wild
state in the great forests that lie be-
tween the northern coasts of South
America and the Amazon river, par
ticularly in Venezuela and British Gui-
INA. Tie birds never le1ve the forests
unless shot or captured. They travel
about in flocks of from 100 to 200, in
search Ct berries, fruits and insects,
upon which they subsist. Their usual
gait is { slow and stately march, but
hey eniiven themselves from time 10
time by leaping up into the air, execut-
ing eccentric and fantastic waltzes. and
striking the most absurd and prepos-
ferrous attitudes. If pursued they en-
deavor 70 save themselves by running,
for their flight is so weak, according to
Schombourgk, that when they attempt
TO fly over a body of water of any con-
siderable width they are often obliged
10 drop upon it and save themselves by
swimming. When alarmed they utter
the peculiar cry which has obtained for
them their name of tru1npeters. The
sound is sometimes like that produced
by a person e~ndeavoring to shout the
syllables ''tow, tow. tow, tow, tow,
tow" with his mouth shut. or the dole
full noise made by children on New
Years with their trumpets. The yak
Emiks usually deposit their eggs in a
hollow i'll the ground, often at the foot
Of a tree.
\ nest generally contains ter eggs
Cf a pale green color. The young birds
follow their mothers as soon as they
are Matched. but do not lose their pretty
downy covering until several weeks old.
The yak1miks are very readily tanned,
ard prove valuable servants to the In
dams, vino domesticate them, and as
hey are courageous and viii protect an
iliilS u iSiCh W liSil CdlC At ONtlN
risk to themselves, even dogs are
obliged tc yield to their authority. They
may be trusted with the care of Il flock
of sheep or domesticated fowls, and
every morning Will drive he ducks and
poultry 10 their feeding places, and,
carefully collecting airy stragglers,
bring them safely home at night. 4
yakamik soon learns to know and to
obey the voice of its master. follow him,
when permitted, wherever he goes, and
appears delighted at receiving his ca
resses. It repines at his absence and
welcomes his return, anG is extremely
jealous Of any rival. Should any dog
or cat approach, it flies at it with ut
most fury, and. attacking it with wingf
md beah, drives it away.
1t presents itself regularly during
meals, from which it cha5es all domesti-
Gated animals, and even the negroes
who wait on the table, if it g not well ac-
Guainte1 with them; and only asks for
a share of the eatables after it has
driven away all who might aspire to a
favorable notice from the family. 1t
appreciates favors in the same proper
ton as it is jealous of sharing them
with others, and manifests Joy and af-
lection by the most extravagant capers
and gesticulations. When the an
finals of which it has charge are shut up
for the night, the yakamik roosts upon
some shed or tree neal at hand to be
ready TO take its place as keeper rs soon
as they :Ie set out in the morning. One
quality that makes it valuable is its
sense of location, which is perfect; how
ever far it may wander with the fiocks
or herds it guards, it never fails to find
its way home at night, driving before il
ell the creatures intrusted TO its care.
It is strange that several species OF
South American birds of different gen.
era should share with the yakanik its
instinct Of guarding and ;aking are of
domestic animals. One OF these is the
crested screamer (Dicholophus srista-
tus), another the horned cnauna iChau.
ma chavaria), which is often dumesti.
Gated as Il poultry keeper by the natives
Science News.