This section is from the book "The Plain Why And Because", by John Timbs. Also available from Amazon: The plain why and because.
Because it may defend itself against some noxious animals which infest the native regions of this bird - the fenny and marshy parts of South America. Notwithstanding this armour it is said that this bird is the most gentle of all animals ; that the male and female are always found in pairs, and that, if one dies, the other does not long survive.
 
Continue to: