184 SCANSORES. RHAMPHASTID.E. 



escape ; but it was not at all shy or timid. The 

 beak, though very thin and light, was far from 

 displaying that parchment-like flexibility spoken 

 of by some writers ; on the contrary, it was firm 

 and strong. We were accustomed to lift the bird 

 by the beak, when we wished to handle it, to place 

 it in the cage, or to take it out, as we would take 

 hold of a rabbit by its ears ; and the Toucan mani- 

 fested no sign of pain or even inconvenience. It 

 was fed principally with rice, boiled to a firm con- 

 sistence ; it was also very fond of ripe mangoes, 

 pine-apples, and other fruits. Its mode of feeding 

 was to pick off a portion of the pulpy fruit, or to 

 take up a lump of the agglutinated rice, with the 

 point of the beak, and then by a backward jerk 

 of the head, toss the morsel into the throat : we 

 never saw it attempt to throw its food into the 

 air, and catch it. It was not indulged with animal 

 food. 



The Keel-beaked Toucan is conspicuous for the 

 number and brilliancy of the hues that adorn its 

 beak, which is of large size. It is remarkable 

 also for the thin ridge or keel which runs along 

 the upper edge of this organ ; this ridge, as well 

 as the edges of the upper mandible, is of a golden 

 yellow ; the sides are rich green ; and the lower 

 mandible is blue changing into green ; the tips of 

 both mandibles are scarlet; a narrow band of 

 black surrounds the base of the beak. The naked 

 skin which environs the eyes is violet, as are also 

 the feet. The plumage of the throat and breast 

 is lemon-yellow, margined by a crescent-band of 

 scarlet at the lower part. The upper tail-coverts 

 are white, and those beneath are scarlet. All the 

 rest of the plumage is of a shining black. 



