272 T H E T U C A N, &c. 



authors correfpond fufliciently to juftify this" 

 conjediure. The tucan is perhaps Ibinewhat 

 larger than our mole. It is equally fat and 

 flefhy, and its legs are fo fhort that the belly 

 touches the ground. The tail is fliort ; the ears 

 are fmall and round ; and the eyes are fo mi- 

 nute that they can fcarcely be of any ufe to the 

 animal. But it differs from the mole in the co- 

 lour of the hair, which is reddilh yellow, and 

 in the number of toes, having only three be- 

 fore and four behind, while the mole has five 

 toes on all the feet. It feems to differ from the 

 mole in other articles : Its flefh is good eating. 

 It pofrefles not the inftindt of difcovering its re- 

 treat after having once left it, but, at every time, 

 is obliged to dig a new hole ; fo that, in cer- 

 tain foils, which are agreeable to thefe animals *, 

 the holes are fo numerous, and fo near each o- 

 ther, that circumfpe£lioa is necelTary to walk 

 there with fafety. 



XIX. 



* Fernand. hid. anim. Nov. Hifp. p. 9. cap. 24. 



