SMELL. 65 



which they can with their long bill draw from the 

 recess of a hole, and even from the deep basket 

 woven by the orioles, or from the solid masonry of 

 the baker-bird (Merops rufus). This account is 

 corroborated by the interesting observations made by 

 Mr. Broderip upon a toucan (Ramphastos erythro- 

 rhynchus), which was kept alive in London. The 

 predacious habits of this bird were first observed by 

 the proprietor on the occasion of a young canary-bird 

 having escaped arid gone near to the toucan's cage. 

 The toucan appeared more than usually excited, 

 and when the door was opened it instantly seized 

 and devoured the canary-bird. Mr. Broderip being 

 desirous of witnessing a similar circumstance, the 

 proprietor selected a goldfinch for the experiment. 



" The instant he introduced his hand with the 

 goldfinch into the cage of the toucan, the latter, 

 which was on a perch, snatched it with his bill. 

 The poor little bird had only time to utter a short 

 weak cry ; for, within a second it was dead, killed 

 by compression on the sternum and abdomen, and 

 that so powerful, that the bowels were protruded 

 after a very few squeezes of the toucan's bill. As 

 soon as the goldfinch was dead, the toucan hopped 

 with it still in his bill to another perch, and, placing 

 it between his right foot and the perch, began to 

 strip off the feathers with his bill. When he had 

 plucked away most of them, he broke the bones of 

 the wings and legs (still holding the little bird in the 

 same position) with his bill, taking the limbs therein, 

 and giving at the same time a strong lateral wrench. 

 He continued this work with great dexterity, till he 

 had almost reduced the bird to a shapeless mass ; 

 and ever and arion, he would take his prey from the 

 perch in his bill, and hop from perch to perch, 

 making at the same time a peculiar hollow clattering 

 noise, at which times I observed that his bill and 



