THE ARIEL TOUCAN. 77 



interesting account was given by Mr. Broderip of 

 the manners of a nearly related species ; and to these 

 Mr, Vigors has added many curious details from the 

 observation of his own bird. It is fed almost entirely 

 upon vegetable diet, eggs being the only animal food 

 which it is permitted to taste. These are generally 

 mixed up with its ordinary food, which consists of bread, 

 rice, potatoes, German paste, and similar substances. 

 It delights in fruits of all kinds ; while they can be 

 procured fresh it feeds almost exclusively upon them, 

 and even during the winter months exhibits great grati- 

 fication in being oifered pieces of apples, oranges, or 

 preserved fruits of any description. These it generally 

 holds for a short time at the extremity of its bill, 

 touching them wdth apparent delight with its slender 

 and feathered tongue, and then conveying them by a 

 sudden upward jerk to its throat, where they are caught 

 and instantly swallowed. But though its diet is thus 

 almost exclusively vegetable, its natural propensity to 

 preying upon animals is strongly conspicuous. It evinces 

 the greatest excitement whenever any other bird or even 

 a stuffed skin is placed near its cage, raising itself up, 

 erecting its feathers, and uttering a hollow clattering 

 sound, which seems to be the usual expression of delight 

 in these birds, and is noticed by Mr. Broderip as a kind 

 of triumphant exultation over their prey. At the same 

 time the irides of its eyes expand, and it seems ready to 

 dart upon its victim. When shown its own reflection in 

 a glass it manifests an equal degree of excitement. 



The manner in which the Toucans seize, destroy, 

 pluck, and disjoint the smaller birds, so as to render 

 them fit for being transferred into their stomachs, 

 together with all the accompaniments of this curious 

 operation, are minutely detailed in Mr. Broderip's com- 

 munication. A goldfinch was introduced into the cage 

 of the specimen which formed the subject of that gentle- 



