AVES— PARROT. 545 



These birds when in flocks, on retiring to rest, generally appoint one to 

 watch during the night. While they are asleep, he sits perched at the top 

 of a tree, above them, and makes a continual noise, resembling ill articulat- 

 ed sounds, moving also his head, during the whole time, to the right and 

 'left. For this reason the South Americans give to the toucan the name of 

 preacher toucan. 



The toucan builds its nest in the holes of trees, that are either formed by 

 itself, or that from accident it meets with, and lays two eggs; and no bird 

 better secures its young from external injury. It has not only birds, men, 

 and serpents to guard against, but a numerous train of monkeys, still more 

 prying, mischievous, and hungry, than all the rest. The toucan, however, 

 sits in its hole, defending the entrance with its great beak ; and if the mon- 

 key venture to offer a visit of curiosity, the toucan gives him such a welcome 

 that he is soon glad to make his escape. 



This bird is a native of Guiana and Brazil, and is said to be in great re- 

 quest in South America; both from the delicacy of its flesh, and on account 

 of the beauty of its plumage, particularly the feathers of the breast. The 

 skin of this part the Indians pluck off, and, when dry, glue to their cheeks, 

 and this they consider as an irresistible addition to their beauty. 



THE PARROT.i 



This bird is said to have been first introduced into Europe, by Alexander 

 the Great. It is equally remarkable for its beauty and its docility. But its 

 chief attraction is to be found in its ability to utter articulate sounds, a gift 

 which it possesses in far greater perfection than any other bird. Its voice 

 also is more like a man's than any other ; the raven is too hoarse, and the 

 jay and magpie too shrill, to resemble the truth; but the parrot's note is of 

 the true pitch, and capable of a variety of modulations. For this it is 

 indebted to the form of its bill, tongue, and head. "Its bill, round on the 

 outside and hollow within, has in some degree the capacity of a mouth, and 

 allows the tongue to play freely ; and the sound, striking against the 

 circular border of the lower mandible, is there modified as on a row of teeth, 

 Avhile the concavity of the upper mandible reflects it like a palate ; hence 

 the animal does not utter a whistling sound, but a full articulation. The 

 tongue, which modulates all sounds, is proportionably larger than in man; 

 and would be more voluble, were it not harder than flesh, and invested with 



' The genus Psittaciis, which inchides parrots, maceaws, cockatoos, &c., has the hill 

 short, thick, gibbous, very strong, convex above and below, much bent and hooked at the 

 point ; lower mandible short, obtuse ; base of the bill within a cere ; head large, nostrils 

 orbicular, pierced in the cere, open ; legs short, robust ; tarsus shorter than the external 

 toe ; the interior toes united at their base ; tail of varied form. 



69 46^ 



