288 CANOE-VOYAGE DOWN THE EIO NAPO. 



puma, is one of the few So atli- American animals that have 

 found their way into the tropical portion of the. northern 

 continent. 



Among the many beautiful birds upon the IsTapo, the 

 guacamaya, belonging to the parrot family, is the most 

 conspicuous. We kept one of these birds for some time 

 uj)on our craft, as a pet, having clipped its wings. It was 

 more beautiful than amiable ; and, having acquired a habit 

 of climbing to the roof, and of tearing holes through the 

 thatch, and, upon our going for it, of falling overboard, 

 we disposed of it, preserving its sldn to grace some future 

 museum. The toucan is often seen upon the Napo. It is 

 a prettily-colored bird, but all ideas of proportion are for- 

 gotten in its rostral development. What a beak for such 

 a bird, or for any bird ! We think it is Goldsmith, in his 

 " Animated Nature," who says that, after we have seen a" 

 thing, we begin to reflect upon its " uses, juirposes, and in- 

 convenience." We fell into a train of reflection, as every 

 one else when he sees a toucan always does, but no use, no 

 purpose, could we divine. Had we never been able to 

 discover but one of these comical creatures, we should 

 have solved the problem instanter, by shouting, " Liisus 

 Qiaturce! " At last we wished for Darwin, that he might 

 tell us to what process of " natural selection" we were in- 

 debted for this ornithological absurdity.* 



We found but few species of humming-birds upon the 



* " It has been assumed by some writers on natural history, that 

 every wild fruit is the food of some bird or animal, and that the varied 

 forms and sti'ucture of their mouths may be necessitated by the peculiar 

 character of fruits they are designed to feed on; but there is more 

 imagination than fact in this statement : the number of wild fruits fur- 

 nishing food for birds is very limited, and birds of the most varied struct- 

 ure, and of every size, will be found visiting the same tree." — Wallace. 

 This applies to the toucan ; we cannot account for its immense beak by 

 supposing it the result of adaptation to certain habits of life ; it feeds 

 v,-ith birds that have bills as widely difiercnt as possible. 



