62 



THE OOLOGIST 



the trunks, while Ant-Thrushes, Hum- 

 mingbirds, and Flycatchers flit among 

 the leaves and lower branches. The 

 bustling crowd loses no time, and al- 

 though moving in concert, each bird 

 is occupied on its own account in 

 searching bark or leaf or twig. In a 

 few minutes the entire host may be 

 gone, and the forest will then remain 

 deserted and silent. These miscel- 

 laneous foraging parties are quite a 

 noticeable feature, especially in the 

 Amazon district. They seem to travel 

 together for mutual profit and pro- 

 tection. 



Pleasant, indeed, it is to sit in the 

 cool shade of the tropical forest and 

 watch these gorgeously hued birds. 

 The Indian natives are very fond of 

 pets, and there is scarcely a hut where 

 a bird or a beast is not kept. They 

 will tame intractable Parrots in a few 

 days. They allow the birds full lib- 

 erty, instead of confining them to a 

 cage, and the birds seldom violate this 

 confidence. 



The Toucan is a sort of caricature, 

 with its long bill, which it turns from 

 side to side with an old fashioned look. 

 The largest Toucan is about two feet 

 in length, of which one-fourth is taken 

 up by the bill and another fourth by 

 the tail. Specimens of bills seven 

 inches long and two inches wide have 

 been found. Its colors are black, 

 white, yellow and red. The bill is 

 beautifully painted red, brown and 

 yellow. The principal use of the Tou- 

 can's bill, and in the Parrot, as well, 

 is that of a weapon to defend itself 

 against its enemies. 



U is a wise provision that a bird 

 in the tropics should be provided with 

 some special protection, when one re- 

 calls the great number of predatory 

 anim9.1s searching for nests and de- 

 vouring the eggs as well as the young 

 birds. There is likewise great danger 

 from the immense armies of foraging 



ants that occasionally overrun the 

 forests. The birds are ever on the 

 alert for the scouts of these advancing 

 armies, for if the scouts are killed 

 no word will reach the main body of 

 a nest of helpless young birds. 



The Toucan appears most comical 

 when hopping about for food, and the 

 long bill is very useful in reaching 

 into corners and crevices. During 

 most months of the year, it is en- 

 countered in single individuals or 

 small flocks, and is then very wary. 

 Several may be seen among the high- 

 est branches of the trees giving vent 

 to their loud, shrill, yelping cries, 

 with one bird mounted higher than 

 the rest and apparently acting as 

 leader of this inharmonious chorus. 

 The cry sounds something like to-ca- 

 no, and hence this name was given it 

 by the Indians. The Toucan makes 

 a very amusing pet, and is as easily 

 domesticated as the Parrot. 



Another gaudy bird is the Macaw, 

 which belongs to the Parrot tribe. In 

 flying, this bird shows red on the 

 under surface, and in turning, combina- 

 tions of blue, red and yellow gleam in 

 the sunshine. They are long-lived, and 

 some specimens have been known to 

 reach a yard in length. It screams 

 with harsh, discordant notes as it 

 flies, seeming to proclaim to all the 

 world that it fears no foe. Its for- 

 midable beak protects it from every 

 danger, for no Hawk, or even a mon- 

 key, dares attack a bird so strongly 

 armed. Were it not so its loud cries 

 and brilliant color would simply pro- 

 claim its presence and invite destruc- 

 tion. With the small Parrots, such 

 as Paroquets, it is different, for most 

 of these are colored green, which 

 makes them almost indistinguishable 

 amid the foliage. One might gaze in- 

 tently at a tree harboring scores of 

 these small green Parrots, making an 

 incessant noise, and not distinguish 



