A history of the Brazil

by James Henderson

Peru do Mato, (the Wood Turkey,) improperly so called, is the size of a blackbird, of a dark ash colour, well furnished with feathers, which terminate like hair, the tail jet black, the bill red, thick, and pointed; when it sings it elevates the beak perpendicularly.

Queroquero, which is almost the size of a partridge, has a white belly, with the breast and throat white, of a changeable colour above, with a white spot near the wings, which are armed with two spurs, and whose largest feathers are black, much exceeding the length of the tail, which is short, with the extremity white, the eyes are green and handsome, it has the bill similar to a pigeon, green, and the end black; the head is ornamented with a small black crest, and pointed; the legs are long, and the thighs still longer, with the lower portion unfeathered and green. Its flesh is good, and it would appear not to sleep, as its cry is heard at all hours of the night. It feeds upon the margins of lakes.

The Rola, or sort of Turtle-Dove, is of various species: those called juritis are a little less than a similar kind which pass from Africa to Europe in the spring, but are not so handsome; their song, consisting of one long note, is somewhat melancholy; those called turtles de cascavel, in consequence of the rattling of their wings when they rise, are beautified with white spots, and are somewhat larger than a sparrow, they fight with their wings, and commonly procure their sustenance in bands. The third kind, called coboclas, from being the colour of a brick, are the same size as the preceding. The other sorts all pass under the name of pombas (pigeons); the cardigueras are small; those called aza branca (white wing) resemble the troquaze pigeon, or ring dove of Europe. The ring doves of the country are large, and have their beaks green; as have also those called pararis.

Sabia is a kind of thrush, and the greatest singer in the Brazil; its song does not differ from the blackbird; some, but very rarely, have the feathers and the bill yellow.

The Sahys are a species of beautiful little bird, and divided into various sorts. The sahy da secia is the size of a hedge-sparrow, having a similar beak; its sides and belly are purple, with the wings black above, and the under parts yellow, the tail black, the feet of a rose colour, the head silvery, and the eyes blue. The sahy bicudo is the size of a robin, of a green colour, with the tail and wings black, and the bill pointed. The sahy roxo (or purple sahy) is the size of a sparrow, with the tail and wings black, the head and breast purple, and the bill short and pointed. The sahy de colleira, has the form and size of a sparrow, with the head purple, the neck rosy, the belly green, the sides, wings, and tail, of a greenish hue, and the bill short. The sahy-xe, has the head, wings, and tail of a greenish colour, the breast between blue and green, and black near the blade bone or shoulders and the throat, the hinder part of the back yellow, and the beak short. The sahy papagaio is the size of a greenfinch, of a changeable colour, between blue and green, with a black tail and short bill, wide at the root and fine at the extremity.

Sanhaco is a sort of greenfinch.

Seriema is a little larger than the turkey-hen; its song is simple and tender, it goes generally upon the ground, and flies little.

Serrador is a small bird of a blackish colour, with the beak similar to a sparrow, it only perches upon dry and naked branches, is like the ortolan, and is incessantly rising perpendicularly two or three spans, alighting upon the same place, and keeping in its movement the time of a serra, or saw; it has no song, nor is its plumage beautiful.

Soffrer, to which the whites have given the name, pretending that it articulates the word in its inharmonious song, is little less than the blackbird, of a gold colour, with the head, throat, tail, and wings, black, excepting a white spot in the middle of the wings; the tail is long, the bill round, long, and pointed, likewise black, with two white spots on each side of the lower part; the iris yellow.

Soco is a bird comprising various kinds, the white ones are the size of a large capon, without a tail, with the legs a little long, the bill also long and blue, the fore part of the head is black, the hinder part ornamented with a long pointed crest, falling back upon the neck, which is rather long. The ash-coloured ones differ only from the preceding in colour. There is another larger than the blackbird, being two spans and a half when the wings are opened, and three from the extremity of the bill to that of the feet; it is green on the upper part, and ash-coloured below, the bill is long and pointed, the iris yellow, the neck a span in length, slightly covered with feathers, and spotted on the under side; the tail is two inches long, the head is black, with a crest.