166 THE WORLD'S BIRDS. 



GAIT, ETC. An awkward hop when on the ground, to 

 which they seldom venture ; they also hop side- 

 ways along boughs and jump quickly from one to 

 another, most of their life being spent in trees. 



FLIGHT. Rather heavy and laboured, with constant 

 flaps of the short wings ; the feet are drawn up and 

 the neck stretched out. 



DISPOSITION AND HABITS. Intelligent and apparently 

 affectionate ; sociable among themselves, but 

 often mischievous and cruel to other birds. They 

 sleep with the tail turned over the back. 



NOTE. A yelp ; they are often very noisy. 



ECONOMIC QUALITIES. They are esteemed as food where 

 they are found. 



CAPTIVITY. They are hardy and amusing birds where 

 confined, and in a large aviary some species at least 

 will stand a good deal of cold. None have bred in 

 confinement. 



DISTRIBUTION AND IMPORTANT SPECIES. There are 

 about sixty species, found in the warmer parts of 

 America, in forests ; the Hill Toucans (A ndigena] 

 ascending the Andes to a temperate climate. The 

 small, wedge-tailed, dark-green species are called 

 Aragaris. One species of these, the Lettered 

 Aragari (Pteroglossus inscriptus) is frequently im- 

 ported into England ; it is about the size of a dove, 

 dark-green above, yellow below, with cream- 

 coloured bill curiously marked with black. The 

 Sulphur-breasted Toucan (Rhamphastos carinatus), 

 as big as a rook, black, with sulphur breast and 

 bill coloured green, red and blue, is also not un- 

 common in captivity. The small species illus- 

 trated exemplifies the Toucanets (Selenidera), which 

 closely approach the Barbets, to which Toucans 

 are nearly allied. 



