HABITS OF THE TOUCANS. 509 



The flight of the Toiican is quick, and the mode of carrying the head seems to vary in 

 different species, some holding their heads rather high, while others suffer them to droop. 

 Writers on this subject, and indeed on every point in the history of these birds, are rather 

 contradictory ; and we may assume that each bird may vary its mode of flight or carriage 

 in order to suit its convenience at the time. On the gi'ound they get along with a rather 

 awkward hopping movement, their legs being kept ^ridely apart. In ascending a tree tlie 

 Toucan does not climb, but ascends by a series of jumps from one branch to another, and 

 has a great predilection for the very tops of the loftiest trees, where no missile except a 

 rifle ball can reach him. 



The voice of the Toucan is hoarse and rather disagreeable, and is in many cases rather 

 articulate. In one species the cr}' resembles the word " Tucano," which lias given origin 

 to the peculiar name by which the whole group is designated. They have a habit of 

 sitting on the branches in flocks, ha\'ing a sentinel to guard them, and are fond of lifting 

 up their beaks, clatterhig them together, and shouting hoarsely, from which custom the 

 natives term them Preacher-birds. Sometimes the whole party, including the sentinel, set 

 up a simultaneous yell, which is so deafeningly loud that it can be heard at the distance of 

 a mile. They are veiy loquacious birds, and are often discovered through their perpetual 

 chattering. 



Grotesque as is their appearance, they have a great hatred of birds wlio they think to 

 be uglier than themselves, and will surround and "mob" an unfortunate owl tliat by 

 chance has got into the daylight with as much zest as is displayed by our crows and 

 magpies at home imder similar circumstances. While engaged in this amusement, they 

 get round the poor bird in a circle, and shout at him so, that wherever he turns he sees 

 nothing but gi-eat snapping bills, a number of taUs bobbing regularly up and down, and 

 threatening gestiires in every direction. 



In their wild state their food seems to be mostly of a vegetable nature, except in the 

 breeding season, when they repair to the nests of the white ant which have been softened 

 by the rain, break down the walls with their strong beaks, and devour the insects wholesale. 

 One writer says that during the breeding season they live exclusively on tliis diet. They 

 are veiy fond of oranges and guavas, and often make such havoc among the fruit-trees, 

 that they are shot by the owner, who revenges himself by eating them, as their flesh is 

 verj' delicate. In the cool time of the year they are killed in great numbers merely for 

 the purposes of the table. 



In domestication they feed on almost any substance, whether animal or vegetable, and 

 are very fond of mice and young birds, which they kill bj- a sharp grip of the tremendous 

 beak, and pall it to pieces as daintily as a jackdaw or magpie. One Toucan, belonging 

 to a friend, killed himself by eating too many ball-cartridges on board a man-of-war. As 

 the habits of most of these birds are very similar, only one species has been figured, for 

 the description of other species would necessarily have been limited to a mere detail of 

 colouring. 



Mr. Broderip has given a very interesting account of an Ariel Toucan and its lialiits, 

 which has been frequently quoted, but is so graphic a description that any work of this 

 natm-e would be incomplete without it : — 



"After looking at the bird which was the object of my visit, and which was apparently 

 in the highest state of health, I asked the proprietor to bring up a little bird, that I might 

 see how the Toucan would be affected by its appearance. He soon returned, bringing 

 with him a goldiinch, a last year's bird ; the instant he introduced his hand witli the 

 goldfinch into the cage of the Toucan, the latter, which was on a perch, snatched it with 

 his bill. The poor little bird had only time to utter a short weak cry, for within a second 

 it was dead ; killed by compression on the sternum and abilomen, and that so powerful, 

 that the bowels were protruded after a very few squeezes of the Toucan's bill. 



As soon as the goldfinch was dead, the Toucan hopped with it still in his bill to 

 another perch, and placing it with his bill between his right foot and tlie perch, began to 

 strip off the feathers with his liill. When lie had plucked away most of them, he broke 

 the bones of the wings and legs (still holding the little bird in the same position) with 



