NATURAL HISTORY. 297 



placed the Toucans, the Parrots, the Woodpeckers, and the 

 Cuckoos. The feet of these birds have two toes in front and 

 two behind. 



The TOUCANS are all natives of tropical America. Their 

 enormous bill is rendered light in the same way as that of 

 the hornbills, by being chiefly composed of a honeycomb 

 structure. It seems to be very sensitive, and well supplied 

 with nerves, as the bird not only appears to enjoy holding 

 meat or fruits with the tip of its bill, but has been seen to 

 scratch that organ with its foot, plainly proving that there 

 must be sensation. It seems to be omnivorous, but is par- 

 ticularly fond of mice, and small birds, which it kills by a 

 powerful squeeze, then strips and finally pulls to pieces and 

 devours, having previously reduced it to a shapeless mass by 

 repeated lateral wrenches with its enormous and saw-like 

 bill. Waterton in his Wanderings describes the usual haunts 

 of the Toucan. 



" Heedless and bankrupt in all curiosity must he be who 

 can journey on without stopping to take a view of the 

 towering mora. Its topmost branch, when naked with age or 

 dead by accident, is the favourite resort of the toucan. Many 

 a time has this singular bird felt the shot faintly strike him 

 from the gun of the fowler beneath, and ow r ed his life to the 

 distance betwixt them." In the same interesting and amusing 

 work, he remarks a strange habit of the Toucan, called the 

 Houtou by the natives. 



" This bird (the Houtou) seems to suppose that its beauty 

 can be increased by trimming the tail, which undergoes the 

 same operation as our hair in a barber's shop, only with this 

 difference, that it uses its own beak, which is serrated, in lieu 

 of a pair of scissors. As soon as his tail is full grown he begins 

 about an inch from the extremity of the two longest feathers 

 in it, and cuts away the web on both sides of the shaft, 

 making a gap about an inch long : both male and female 

 adorn their tails in this manner, which gives them a re- 

 markable appearance amongst all other birds." 



When sleeping, the Toucan takes great care of his bill, 

 packing it away and covering it carefully with the feathers of 

 its back, and altogether presents the appearance of a large 

 round ball of feathers. The body is about eighteen inches 



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