Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-14

M Thinking HANNA" the bird
! 81 with the body odor. which has
thumbs" on its wings When
young and can climb bacK
after tumbling from its nest
| this and many Sther strange specimens
are among the 5000 stuffed bros Whlcn
| have Just been brought to the National
Museum from remote and little-knoWn
regions of Northern South America.
A bird which decorates its own tan
feathers, much as Miss 1881 pluckS her
eyebrows; another which might pe
called a "gigolo" because 1t dances 10
win the sdniration of the female
these are only a few of the odd types
brought to light as the work OF CLASH
fication progresses at the Museum.
Several New Specimens.
The collection, half Of which is new
to the museum, was obtained IN the
wilds Of Brazil and Venezuela by a Ma
tional Geographic Society expeoltlon
led by Ernest G. Holt naturalist, OF
MONTGOMERY. Ala. The party encoun-
tered great hardship and at time was
in peril from treacherous rapids ana
Indians who had proved themselves
hostile to other travellers.
known as sinking Hanna" from its
peculiar and decidedly unpleasant odor'
the hoatzin bird was found along the
CasiQuiare, the unique arm OF the
Orinoco, which flows out OF that river
into the Amazon system.
The nest birds have thumbs" on
their wings. They usually are matched
in nests which hang over the water ana,
although they are not aquatic, swim out
with ease when they tumble from. the
bushes, climbing the trunks back into
the nest. The thumbs" fall on when
the bird is full grown.
Has Natural OdOr.
The odor of the bird is natural, and
not, like that of the buzzard, due to
unclean habits.
Although nature made the mot-mot
very beautiful with its greenish sheen,
its turquoise and aquamarine head ana
its long sweep of tail feathers, the bird
is not satisfied and insists on trimming
the tip of its tail with its beak, leav-
ing a tuft CT feathers at the extreme
end. like those on the shaft of an ar
row. Both male and female seek thus
to improve their appearance.
The males among the tiny manikins
dance with great enthusiasm before
the females to win their admiration.
other strange types brought TO light in
clude the capuchin or bald-headed calf
bird. which has hoarse cry ike a
world, Of less size than house wren,
which has forsaken fishing for living
and subsistS on insects JacamaTs,
shaped like giant humming birds, and
cotingas, highly colored creatures with
extra wing feathers which hum as
they ny.
Rare Jay Discovered.
One prize specimen has been iden-
tifled as the Eeilprin's jay, very rare
bird, Of which only two specimens have
been reported so far, one in Philadel-
phia and the other in Europe.
At least a year of laboratory work
will be necessary to study and classify
the birds and to compare them with
known types. Their skins and plumage
have been carefully preserved. Once
classified they will be flled away IN
TRAVELLED cabinets for a more lelsurely
study and comparison by scientists and
bird lovers.
1t is believed a further study OF the
collection will bring to light birds here
tofore unknown to science, as the par
ticular territory covered by the expedi-
ton has been visited by comparatively
few naturaiists.
At one time the expedition all but lost
its valuable equipment and collection
of birds representing three months OF
painstaking toll under trying condi-
tons.
Have Narrow Escape.
Returning from the interior, the ma
tive boat containing the personnel and
belongings Of the expedition struck a
rock when swept broadside down a rapid
in the Cauabury River, a stream so
turbulent it required % days for the
party to go 100 miles up the river.
The heavy boat all but capsized and
for moment 1t looked as though the
men would have to swim for their lives
The craft failed to tip all the way over,
however, but was so firmly lodged on
the rock it could rot be budged by the
combined manpower
II was a tedious process to rig lines