SCANSORES. RHAMPHASTID./E. 



hours, in a state between sleeping and waking, his 

 eyes for the most part closed, but opening on the 

 slightest interruption. At such times he would 

 allow himself to be handled, and would even take 

 any favourite food that was offered him, without 

 altering his position further than by a gentle turn 

 of the head. He would also suffer his tail to 

 be replaced by the hand in its natural downward 

 posture, and would then immediately return it 

 again to its vertical position. In these move- 

 ments the tail seemed to turn as if on a hinge 

 that was operated on by a spring. At the end 

 of about two hours he began gradually to turn 

 his bill over his right shoulder, and to nestle it 

 among the feathers of his back, sometimes con- 

 cealing it completely within the plumage, at other 

 times leaving a slight portion of its upper edge 

 exposed. At the same time he drooped the 

 feathers of his wings and those of the thigh- 

 coverts, so as to encompass the legs and feet, and 

 thus nearly assuming the appearance of an oval 

 ball of feathers, he secured himself against all ex- 

 posure to cold.* 



The writer of this work had for some little time 

 in his possession a specimen of the Keel-beaked 

 Toucan (RJiamphastos carinatus, SWAINS.), which 

 he brought to England from Jamaica. The species 

 is not, however, a native of the West Indian 

 islands, but of the northern extremity of South 

 America, whence this specimen was originally pro- 

 cured, and the southern provinces of Mexico. We 

 do not recollect having ever observed the upturn- 

 ing of the tail during repose, spoken of in the two 

 species above-noticed. It was in the highest health 



* Zoolog. Journal, vol. ii. 



