88 FACULTIES OP BIRDS. 



perfectly domesticated. " It fed upon the same 

 things as parrots ; but was most greedy of grapes. 

 These being plucked off one by one, and thrown to 

 it, it would with great dexterity catch in the air 

 before they fell to the ground. Its bill/' he adds, 

 " was hollow, and on that account very light, so that 

 the bird had but little strength in this apparently 

 formidable weapon ; nor could it peck or strike 

 smartly with it. But its tongue seemed to assist 

 the efforts of this unwieldy machine: it was long, 

 thin, and flat, not much unlike one of the feathers 

 on the neck of a dunghill-cock ; this the bird moved 

 up and down, and often extended five or six inches 

 from the bill. It was of a flesh-colour, and remark- 

 ably fringed on each side with small filaments. It 



Tongue and Head of the Toucan (Ramphastostoco*). 



