great hornbill is a clumsy bird and a very top- 

 heavy and weak flier, and these disabilities 

 brought about his death. He was on the branch 

 of a tree in the garden upon which somehow or 

 other he lost his hold. He was precipitated head 

 foremost on to the ground without being able to 

 recover himself, and broke his neck. R. I. P. 



The only other bird I have had which compared 

 in intelligence and character with the hornbill 

 was a small bird of the parrot tribe, called in 

 Ecuador Cherlecres and in Brazil Marianita. One 

 of these charming little creatures accompanied me 

 everywhere on my travels for many months and 

 I never had him imprisoned in a cage or tied up. 

 He was, of course, pinioned. The height of his 

 bliss was to climb up my clothes till he reached 

 my shoulder, where he would sit contentedly and 

 whistle. He never screamed after I had once or 

 twice evinced my strong aversion to such harsh 

 noises. He allowed me to scratch him under the 

 wings, and the great repugnance of birds even 

 to lay him flat on his back, in which position, 

 until told to : " Fica morto ! " he would remain 

 " dead " till ordered to rise again. He traveled 

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