RAMPHASTOS DICOLORUS. 



seems to imply a great degree of tenderness and sensibility in that organ, 

 which opinion is confirmed, when we look at the numerous vessels which 

 are ramified between the bony part of the bill and the external horny co- 

 vering. We have had an opportunity of seeing several species in a state of 

 confinement, and the manners of the whole are in this particular similar. 

 Mr Vigors very minutely thus describes the manners of the species now 

 in his possession : " As the dusk of the evening approached, he finished 

 his last meal for the day, took a few turns, as if for exercise after his meal, 

 round the perches of his cage, and then settled on the highest perch, dis- 

 posing himself, almost at the moment he alighted on it, with his head 

 drawn in between his shoulders and his tail turned vertically over his back. 

 In this posture he generally remained about two hours, in a state between 

 sleeping and waking ; his eyes for the most part closed, but opening on 

 the slightest interruption. At such times he would allow himself to be 

 handled, and would even take any favourite food that was offered him, 

 without altering his posture further than by a gentle turn of the head. 

 He would also suffer his tail to be replaced by the hand in its natural 

 downward posture, and would then immediately return it again to its ver- 

 tical position. In these movements the tail seemed to turn as if on a hinge 

 that was operated upon by a spring. At the end of about two hours he be- 

 gan gradually to turn his bill over his right shoulder, and to nestle it among 

 the feathers of Ins back, sometimes concealing it completely within the 

 plumage, at other times leaving a slight portion of the culmen exposed. 

 At the same time he di-ooped the feathers of his wings and those of the 

 thigh coverts, so as to encompass the legs and feet : and thus nearly as- 

 suming the appearance of an oval ball of feathers, he secured himself against 

 all exposure to cold." 



Such are the facts which we have been able to collect regarding this 

 very interesting tribe of birds ; but much yet remains unknown of their 

 habits, as well as of their internal anatomy and structure. The distance of 

 their native country, and the dangers incident to those who would study 

 them in their natural abodes, together with the exaggerated accounts which 

 are brought home of these and other species, increase to a great extent our 

 difficulties of arriving at the truth ; but we shall take the earliest opportu- 

 nity of publishing whatever additional authentic information we can col- 

 lect respecting them. 



