THE YELLOW-BREASTED TOUCAN. 149 



with milk and bread. It is to be regretted that they cannot be 

 taught to speak, and that their cry is so unpleasant. A pair 

 may be kept to advantage in a bell-shaped wire cage, some- 

 what larger than that used for Canaries. 



53. THE LITTLE BLUE AND GREEN PARRAKEET. 



Psittacus Passerinus, LIN. Ete ou Toui-ete, BUF. Der Sperlings 

 Par Ait, BECH. 



Description. It is only four inches long, and not larger than 

 a House Sparrow. The beak, the membrane at the base, the 

 circles of the eyes, and the feet are orange coloured. The 

 general colour is green; the rump blue ; the little wing coverts 

 and the tail are also green. 



Observations. This pretty little bird, which, like the last, 

 lives most amicably with its mate, is rarely seen. It comes 

 from Brazil and Guiana, and unfortunately cannot speak. It 

 is fed with canary seed, hemp, &c. 



54. THE YELLOW-BREASTED TOUCAN. 



Rhamphastos Tucanus, LIN. Toucan a Gorge Jaune du Bresil, BUF. Der 

 Tukan, oder gelbbrustige Pfeffervogel, BECU. 



Description. This and the two following birds, like the 

 rest of their class, have a disproportionately large beak, which 

 is convex above, and hooked towards the point. It is hollow, 

 very light, and toothed at the edges like a saw. The feet are 

 adapted for climbing. In summer, when they do not suffer 

 from the cold, they are imported from North America into 

 England and Holland, from whence they are brought into Ger- 

 many, but they are not often to be found in aviaries. In con- 

 finement they will eat whatever is offered them fruit, berries, 

 especially grapes, bread, meat, frogs, &c. They swallow every 

 thing whole, after having thrown it into the air, and caught it 

 in the beak. They are taken from the nest, which generally 

 stands in a hollow tree, and contains two young ones, and 

 when reared, are very engaging birds. 



The Toucan is nineteen inches in length, of which the beak 

 measures six ; this is grey at the base, and at the end black. 

 The back is a greenish black ; the cheeks, throat, and top of 

 the neck orange ; on the breast is a crimson stripe ; the upper 



