100 HOMES WITHOUT HANDS. 



are very noisome to young birds, and try to pull the unfledged 

 Toucans out of their nests. But the mother bird, when she sees 

 a monkey approaching, "so settles herself in her nest as to put 

 her bill out at the hole, and gives the monkeys such a welcome 

 therewith, that they presently pack away, and glad they escape 

 so." 



According to some writers, the Toucan makes the burrow for 

 itself, using the huge beak as the tool wherewith it excavates its 

 work. I very much doubt, however, whether the bird has the 

 power of doing so, and think that, at the most, it only adapts and 

 •slightly alters the interior of the hollow in order to suit its own 

 purposes. 



The Toucan is always a tree-loving bird, and does not wander 

 from the forests. It is a native of South America, and may gen- 

 erally be seen perched on the topmost boughs of the lofty mora- 

 tree, far beyond the reach of the shot-gun, and requiring a single 

 bullet, or the Indian's tiny poisoned arrow, to bring it from its 

 lofty elevation. It flies only by jerks, takes no long aerial jour- 

 neys, and its body always seems overweighted by the enormous 

 beak, which makes the head bow downward as the bird passes 

 through the air. 



Perhaps the Swift (Cypselus apus) may take rank among the 

 semi-burrowing birds. 



It always lays its long white eggs and makes its simple nest in 

 holes, and in some cases is able to form the tunnel in which it 

 breeds. "When it takes up its habitation far from human abodes, 

 it contents itself with crevices in rocks, hollow trees, and similar 

 localities. But, when it resides near the habitations of man, it at- 

 taches itself to him like the swallow and the martin. Slates and 

 tiles have, however, driven the Swift away from many a spot 

 wherein it was once plentiful, for it loves to penetrate into thatch 

 and therein to rear its hungry brood. 



I can well remember the gradual ejection of the Swifts from a 

 country town on account of architectural improvements. For- 

 merly, when all the less pretending houses were covered with 

 thatch, the Swifts had their nests in every roof, and the " Jacky 

 Screamers," as the peasants called the birds, used to hunt for flies 

 in the streets, and boldly carry their prey to their young. The 

 houses were so low that a man could touch the eaves merely by 

 standing on a chair, and the habits of the birds were easily watch- 



