m 
TOURACO. 
Cuculus Persa. Lin. Syst. 171. 17. 
Le Coucou verd hupe' de Guine'e. Bris. Orn. iv. 15 2. 
Le Touraco. Buff. Ois. vi. 3 00. 
Touraco Cuckow. Lath* i. p. 2. 545. 
The subject of this Plate, which is now before me, is nearly of the size of a 
magpie, but its tail being frequently spread, increases its apparent bulk, 
and makes it seem larger than it is in point of fact. It is a native of 
Africa, and very justly claims a place among the number of the most 
beautiful birds of this elegant menagery. 
The bill is short and compressed sideways, the upper mandible rather 
arched, but not overhanging the lower. The nostrils are covered with 
feathers reflected from the forehead; the gape is wide, and separated as far 
as under the eye, which is lively and uncommonly brilliant ; the irides 
hazle brown, encircled with scarlet caruncles. 
The feathers on the crown form a crest, which the bird can raise or 
depress at pleasure. The plumage is composed of fine soft feathers, or 
rather fibres, of a delicate silky texture. The legs and feet are of a deep 
ash colour ; the claws are sharp and strong, the toes two forward and two 
behind. 
Edwards is not certain to what genus this subject belongs, but thinks it 
approaches the nearest to the Cuckow. The Count de Buffon cannot con- 
ceive why our Nomenclators range it with the Cuckow, from the common 
character of having two toes before and two behind, a property belonging 
to many other birds. But Brisson and Latham decidedly place it with 
the Cuckow. 
