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PIC ART AN BIRDS. 



Toco Toucan. 



Aracari Toucans. 



The general colour of this bird (Rhamphastus toco) is black, with 

 a broad white band across the rump ; the under surface of the body 

 is also black, with the vent crimson ; the throat is white, fading into yellow on 

 the neck, and followed by a crimson band on the fore-neck. The length is nearly 

 2 feet, and the bill is nearly 6J inches long. It has a very wide distribution in 

 South America, being found from Guiana to the Lower Amazon, and extending 

 through Brazil and Bolivia to Argentina. Mr. White met with it near Oran, 

 frequenting the high forest trees in large flocks. 



Of the smaller-billed toucans, some of the best known are the 

 so-called aracaris (Pteroglossiis) ; and an incident recorded by Mr. 

 Stolzmann, during his travels in Peru, shows how difficult these birds are to see in 

 their forest surroundings, his experience being verp similar to that of Bates with the 

 curl-crested toucan (P. beau/iarnasi) on the Amazon. Stolzmann says that when 

 procuring a pair of the yellow-billed aracari (P. flavirostris), or yurimaguas, he fired 

 in a high tree at a bird, which uttered some piercing cries as it fell, and in a moment 

 he was surrounded by ten of the birds, keeping up a fearful din. On a second shot 

 being fired, they all disappeared. This circumstance proves, as he says, that although 

 only one individual can be seen, it does not follow that there are no more in the 

 neighbourhood, as they are, in fact, always in little troops, according to the general 

 habit of toucans in Peru. 



R BOWDLER SHAKPE. 



LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER. 



