156 TOUCAN. 



serrated at the edges ; which distinguishes this genus 

 from all others. 



The common toucan is shaped like the jack-daw, and 

 its size is pretty nearly the same. The head is very 

 large, and well calculated to support its vast beak ; which 

 is upwards of six inches in length, and in the thickest 

 part two in breadth. The whole substance of this member 

 is extremely slight, and almost as thin as parchment. 

 The chaps are of a bright yellow ; except on the sides, 

 which are a beautiful red. A black line surrounds the 

 base of the bill. Round the eyes is a space of bluish 

 skin, destitute of feathers. The head, hind part of the 

 neck, the back, wings, tail, belly, and thighs, are black ; 

 while the under side of the head, the throat, and the 

 commencement of the breast, are wjiite. A series of 

 red plumage appears between the black and the white, in 

 a crescent form. The covert feathers under the tail are 

 red, and those above it are yellow. 



It is well ascertained, that, though the toucan is fur- 

 nished with such a formidable beak, it is very gentle 

 and inoffensive ; and so easily tamed, that it will sit and 

 hatch its young in the dwellings of men. It principally 

 feeds on pepper, which it devours very greedily* 



Pozzi, who bred up one of these birds tame, says, it 

 leaped up and down, vibrated its tail, and cried with a 

 voice resembling that of a magpie. Though it fed mis- 

 cellaneously, it showed a predilection for grapes, which, 

 when plucked off singly and thrown into the air, it 

 would catch with great dexterity before they fell to 

 the ground. This gentleman observes, that the tongue 

 is extremely long, and curiously fringed on each side ; 

 and that the animal can extend it several inches beyond 

 the bill. 



This species, which is a native of the warm climates of 



South America, is much esteemed for the delicacy of its 



. flesh and the beauty of its plumage. The feathers of the 



breast are particularly admired ; and the Indians pluck off 



the skin from that part, which, when dry, they glue to 



