'2"2 i HISTORY OF 



harsh voices, by which they fill their native woods 

 with clamour. 



But there are further peculiarities in their con- 

 formation ; and first, their toes are contrived in a 

 singular manner, which appears when they walk 

 or climb, and when they are eating. For the first 

 purpose they stretch two of their toes forward 

 and two backward; but when they take their 

 meat, and bring it to their mouths with their foot, 

 they dexterously and nimbly turn the greater 

 hind toe forward, so as to take a firmer grasp 

 of the nut or the fruit they are going to feed on, 

 standing all the while upon the other leg. Nor 

 even do they present their food in the usual man- 

 ner ; for other animals turn their meat inwards to 

 the mouth, but these, in a seemingly awkward 

 position, turn their meat outwards, and thus hold 

 the hardest nuts, as if in one hand, till with their 

 bills they break the shell, and extract the kernel. 



The bill is fashioned with still greater pecu- 

 liarities ; for the upper chap, as well as the lower, 

 are both moveable. In most other birds the 

 upper chap is connected, and makes but one 

 piece with the skull ; but in these, and in one or 

 two species of the feathered tribe more, the upper 

 chap is connected to the bone of the head by a 

 strong membrane placed on each side, that lifts 

 and depresses it at pleasure. By this contrivance 

 they can open their bills the wider ; which is not 

 a little useful, as the upper chap is so hooked and 

 so overhanging, that if the lower chap only had 

 motion, they could scarcely gape sufficiently to 

 take any thing in for their nourishment. 



