Yellow-Throated Toucan {Ramphastos erythroynchus 



Rhaniphostidae) 



By Gerard Alan Abbott 



Length : 18 inches. 



The Yellow-throated Toucan, a large billed bird found in tropical America, 

 bears some resemblance to the hornbill of Asia and Africa. The most striking 

 feature of this handsome bird is the monstrous bill, and the bird's chief mission 

 seems to be to care for it, as it frees its beak from every stain and carefully tucks 

 it away among its feathers or rests it on its back while sleeping. The bill seems 

 entirely out of proportion to the size of the bird, but it is of a light honeycombed 

 structure and is not so heavy as it appears. It has been suggested that the bill 

 masticates the food since the bird has no gizzard. The awkward hopping gait is 

 in striking contrast to the easy graceful flight. It feeds on fruits principally, but 

 eggs, fish, and even small birds may enter into the diet. While feeding a sentinel 

 is stationed to give the cry "Toucano," from which the name is derived. Toucans 

 live in flocks in forests, nesting in hollow trees. These birds are killed not only 

 because of their beautiful plumage but also as food. 



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"Old Head Hunter' 



By Bert G. Hochwalt 



It was a brilliant, starry night, in early autumn. A full moon rode high in 

 the vaulted heavens and shed its rich, mellow rays over fields and forests, where, 

 filtering through the leaves of the dark and silent trees it cast fantastic splotches 

 of white light upon the woodland paths. The chirp of crickets and the monotonous 

 drone of numerous other nocturnal insects still filled the air, while the occasional 

 call of some night bird startled the intruder with its weird and mysterious 

 sounds. 



During a lull in the insect serenade there came floating slowly upon the crisp 

 night wind the hoarse, discordant hoot of a great horned owl from somewhere in 

 the distance. Scarcely audible at first, it rose in sound and volume until all 

 the furry nightfolk of the forest scampered in terror to places of safety, and 

 well they might, for they knew the prowess and hunting ability of "Old Head 

 Hunter," as the folks in the neighboring village called this wraith-likc bird, be- 

 cause of the numerous depredations he committed in their poultry yards and 

 dove cotes ; taking only the heads of his victims, as the brains were the tid-bits 

 he delighted in. Again "Old Head Hunter" was preparing to exact his nightly 

 toll from among the smaller denizens of the forest. 



In almost uncanny silence, on swift hawk-like wings he came sailing through 

 the woodland and alighted on the dead branch of a towering oak, from where 

 he made his sallies upon his unfortunate victims. A deep-toned "to-whoo-hoo- 



912 



