t 



I 



THE TOUa\N. 345 



Waterton is unable to fix and preserve their evanescent hues. 

 The plumage of this strange bird rivals the beak in beauty of 

 colouring, and the feathers are frequently used as ornaments by 

 the Brazilian ladies. 



A green-wood loving bird, the Toucan never wanders from 

 the shady forests, where he may generally be seen perched on 

 the topmost boughs of the loftiest trees, far beyond the reach' 

 of small shot, and requiring a single bullet or the Indian's 

 poisoned arrow to bring him from his elevated situation. 



Few birds are more noisy or of a more quarrelsome and 

 imperious temper. In the rainy season his clamour is incessant, 

 and in fair weather the woods resound at morning and evening 

 with his yelping cry. 



Schomburgk relates an anecdote of a tamed Toucan who, 

 by dint of arrogance, assisted by his enormous beak, had made 

 himself despot not only over the domestic fowls, but even over 

 the larger four-footed animals of an estate in Gruiana. Large 

 and small willingly submitted to him, so that when a dispute 

 arose among the trumpeters and hoccos of the yard, the com- 

 batants all dispersed as soon as he made his appearance, and if 

 by chance he had been overlooked in the heat of the fray, his 

 powerful beak soon reminded them that their lord and master 

 was by no means inclined to tolerate disputes among his subjects. 

 On bread being thrown among them, none of his two or four- 

 legged subjects would have ventured to seize the smallest morsel 

 before the Toucan had liberally helped himself. This domi- 

 neering spirit even went so far that he inhospitably reminded 

 every strange dog that came near the premises, that none durst 

 enter his domains without his permission. There is no knowing 

 to what lengths he might not have carried his despotism, if a 

 powerful mastiff, one day entering the yard and taking several 

 bones without leave, had not put an end to his tyranny. For 

 scarcely had the Toucan perceived the intruder, when angrily 

 rushing upon him, he attacked him with his beak. The dog at 

 first only growled, without suffering himself to be disturbed in 

 his meal, but as the bird continued to bite, he finally lost his 

 patience and, snapping at the Toucan, wounded him so severely 

 in the head that he soon after expired. 



A bird with so strange a beak must naturally be expected to 

 feed and drink in a strange manner. When the Toucan has 



