HUMMING-BIRDS 361 



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 

 on 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 seized 

 a morsel, he throws it into the air and lets it fall into his throat ; 

 when drinking, he dips the point of his mandibles into the water, 

 fills them by a powerful inspiration, and then throws back the 

 head by starts. The tongue is also of a very singular form, 

 being narrow and elongated, and laterally barbed like a feather. 

 The toucans are very noisy birds. In rainy weather their clamour 

 is heard at all hours of the day, and in fair weather at morn- 

 ing and evening. The sound which the Bourodi makes is 

 like the clear yelping of a puppy dog, and you fancy he says 

 " pia-po-o-co," and thus the South American Spaniards call him 

 Piapoco. 



To paint the Humming-bird with colours worthy of its beauty, 

 would be a task as difficult as to fix on canvas the glowing tints 

 of the rainbow, or the glories of the setting sun. Unrivalled in 

 the metallic brilliancy of its plumage, it may truly be called the 

 bird of paradise ; and had it existed in the old world it would 

 no doubt have claimed the title instead of the splendid bird 

 which has now the honour to bear it. See with what lightning 

 speed it darts from flower to flower ; now hovering for an 

 instant before you, as if to give you an opportunity of admiring 

 its surpassing beauty, and now again vanishing with the 

 rapidity of thought. But do not fancy that these winged jewels 



