40 PSlTTACID^. 



Fam. XXVIII. RHAMPHASTID^E, OR TOUCANS. 



In the second edition of his 'Monograph of the Toucans/ Gould 

 admits 51 species of this fine and peculiar group, which are scattered 

 over the forests of Tropical America, from Southern Mexico to Northern 

 Argentina. Several others have been since described. 



The Toucans are large birds exclusively arboreal in their habits, and 

 feeding mostly, if not entirely, upon fruit. A single species of wide 

 distribution reaches its southern limit in the forests of the northern 

 Argentine provinces. 



275. EHAMPHASTOS TOCO, Gm. 



(TOCO TOUCAN.) 



Rhamphastos toco, Gould, Mon. Rhamphast. ed. 2, pi. i. ; Scl. et Salv. Nomencl. 

 p. 108; White, P. Z. S. 1882, p. 620 (Oran and Misiones). 



Description. Above black ; rump white, with a small scarlet patch on each 

 side : beneath black, throat white ; crissum scarlet ; bill yellow, with a black 

 blotch at the end of the upper mandible ; feet brown : whole length 22'0 inches, 

 wing 9' 5, tail 6'5. Female similar. 



Hab. Guiana, Amazonia, Brazil, Paraguay, and N. Argentina. 



White met with this Toucan among the lofty forest trees at Campo 

 Colorado, near Oran, where it was found in flocks. In Misiones it was 

 more abundant, and was said to commit great havoc among the orange- 

 groves. 



Order V. PSITTACI. 



Fam. XXIX. PSITTACID^, OR PARROTS. 



Dr. FinscVs history of the Parrot tribe, published in 1867, included 

 accounts of about 350 species, to which at least 50 more have been 

 added during these last twenty years, so that upwards of 400 Parrots 

 are now known to science. Of these, about 150 belong to the New 

 World, mostly to the intertropical portion, though Parrots are found as 

 far north as the U.S., and as far south as Chili and Patagonia. 



In the Argentine Republic the presence of ten species of Psittacidse 

 has been recorded, but only two of these are found in the vicinity of 

 Buenos Ayres, the remaining eight being restricted to the more northern 

 and western portions of the country. 



