THE AKIEL TOUCAN. 79 



this operation, it had examined its feeding tioiioh, in 

 which there was nothing but bread, which it took up 

 and rejected ; so that it would appear to have been 

 reduced from necessity to this mode of solacing its 

 palate with animal food. The usual food of the mdi- 

 vidual on which these observations were made consisted 

 of bread, boiled vegetables, eggs, and tiesh ; to which a 

 little bird was afterwards added about every second or 

 third day. It showed a decided preference for animal 

 food, picking out every morsel of that description, and 

 not resortino- to the vejj'etable diet till all of the former 

 was exhausted. Its mode of roosting, and appearance 

 when completely at rest, as observed by Mr. Broderip, 

 bore a general similarity to the description given by 

 Mr. Vigors, to whose account of the manners of his 

 bird we now return. 



When in its cage, it is peculiarly gentle and trac- 

 table, suffers itself to be played with, and feeds from 

 the hand ; but is wild and timid out of it. In general 

 it is active and lively, and notwithstanding the dispro- 

 portionate size of its bill, its appearance is not only 

 graceful, but its motions, as it glides from perch to 

 perch, are light and sylphlike ; so much so as to have 

 suggested the specific name which has been applied to 

 it. It keeps itself in beautifid plumage, immersing itself 

 daily in cold water with apparent pleasure even in the 

 severest weather. When moderately free from interrup- 

 tion, its habits are singularly regular. At the approach 

 of dusk it finishes its last meal for the clay, takes a few 

 turns roinid the perches of its cage, and then settles 

 on the highest of them. The moment it alights on the 

 perch, its head is drawn in between its shoulders and 

 its tail turned vertically over its back. In this posture 

 it generally continues for about two hours, between 

 sleeping and waking, its eyes for the most part closed, 

 but opening on the slightest interruption. At such 



