96 



THE TOCO TOUCAN. 



4ccouiit very light, so that the bird had but little strength in this 

 apparently formidable weapon ; nor could it peck or strike smartly 

 with it. But its tongue seemed to assist the efforts of this unwieldy 

 machine; it was long, thin, and flat, not much unlike one of the 

 feathers on the neck of a Dunghill-cock ; this the bird moved up and 

 down, and often extended five or six inches from the bill. It was of 

 a flesh-color, and remarkably fringed on each side with small fila- 

 ments. 



It is probable that this long tongue has greater strength than the 

 thin hollow beak that contains it ; and that the beak is only a kind 

 of sheath for this peculiar instrument, used by the Toucan in making 

 its nest, and in obtaining its provision. 



These birds are stated to be in great request in South America; 

 both on account of the delicacy of their flesh, and the beauty of their 

 plumage, particularly the feathers of the breast. The skin of this 

 part the Indians pluck oft', and, when dry, glue to their cheeks: they 

 consider these feathers an irresistible addition to their beauty. 



THE TOCO TOUCAN. 



The Toco Toucan is distinguished by the enormous size of it* 

 serrated bill. It is 

 found in Brazil. 



The Curl-crested 

 Aracari, found also 

 in Brazil, is distin- 

 guished by a crest of 

 curled feathers. 



The Toucan family 

 is very numerous, 

 including a great 

 many species, diffused 

 over all the tropical 

 regions of the earth. 

 They all agree, how- 

 ever, in the character- 

 istic of a bill, very 

 large, as compared 

 with the other parts 

 of the bird. This 

 characteristic is so 

 atrongly marked, that 

 of all the different species of Toucans, not one would ever be mia* 

 taken for a bird of any other class. 



The Toco Toucan is principally of a glossy black. The large high 

 beak is bright orange-red, shading to deep red at the culrnen ; very 

 pretty little powder flasks are made of these finely colored bills. The 

 length of this bird is twenty-two inches. All the species of these birds 

 live in pairs, only exceptionally congregating into small parties. 



TOCO TOOCAN. 



