324 TOUCAN. 



fond of thofe of the palm-kind. They are generally met with in 

 fmall flocks of eight or ten in number, and keep moving from 

 place to place in queft of food, going northward or fouthward as 

 the fruits ripen, but are not ftrictly migratory. They make their 

 nefts in the hollows of trees, abandoned by the Woodpeckers, 

 and not formed by themfel^es, as fome think ; the ftruclure of the 

 bill not allowing of the efforts neceffary to make, or even en- 

 large, a hole in the tendered wood, as it yields to the leaft 

 prefTure of the finger*. They lay two eggs ; but whether they 

 hatch oftener than once in a year not certain, though it is moft 

 likely they do, as they are pretty numerous. They are eafily 

 tamed if brought up young, and are in this ftate very familiar. 

 The third, fourth, and fixth fpecies, below mentioned, have been 

 brought to England, and feemed to fuffer merely from the change 

 from an hot to a cold climate, for nothing came amifs to them as 

 food ; fruits of all kinds, and bread, and even flefh and fifh, with- 

 out diftinclion ; but it was obferved that whatever they took was 

 fwallowed whole f, firft taking it in the bill, then giving it a tofs 

 upward, and immediately catching it again, gulped it down, 

 without even the flighteft compreflion. I do not hear of any of 

 the fpecies being ufed for food, as their flefh is faid to be ill-fla- 

 voured. The word 'Toucan, fome think, takes its rife from the cir- 

 cumftance of the tongue being feathered, Toucan, in the Brajilian 

 language, fignifying a feather 'J ; others, from the cry of this bird, 

 which has been thought like the word Toucaraca |j. 



* I much doubt their ability of defending themfelves from the attacks ofMon- 

 kies, mentioned by Albin, viz. that they " fo fettle in the nefl as to put the bill 

 out at the hole, and give the Monkies fuch an unwelcome reception, that they 

 prefently withdraw, and glad they efcape fo." Albin, vol. ii. p. 24. 



f Hijl.descif, p. in. % Id. p. 1 10. j| Pernettj Voy. p. 18c 



