( 7 ) 
I'he T o u R A c o. 
T his Bird is about the Bignefs of a Magpye or Jay, the Make of its Bcdy 
is rather long than round ; the Head of a moderate Size ; the Neck of a middling 
Length ; the Legs rather lliort than long j the Tail pretty long; It is a very elegant 
Bird, both for Shape and Colour ; it is very active, Hurting up its Tail, and raifing its 
Creft ; it fvvclls its Throat, and utters a hoarfe and difagreeable Sound ; the Bill is 
Ihort and comprelTed Side- ways; the upper Mandible a little arched, but not over- 
hanging the lower ; the under Side of the lower Mandible has a fmall Angle, as in the* 
Bills of Gulls ; the upper and lower Chaps are of a dirty Red or Brick Colour: I know 
not any Bird that has a Bill like this. The Eye is of a dark Hazel-colour, encompalTed' 
with a knotty Skin of a bright Scarlet-colour ; from the Corner of the Mouth to the 
Eye, is a broad black Line, which grows narrower, and extends itfelf under and beyond 
the Eye ; under this is a white Line, which extends a little farther back than the black 
Line,' but doth not come forward fo near the Bill ; from the Corner of the Mouth is 
extended another white Line, which pafles above the Eye, but not lb far back as that 
beneath; the Head, Neck, Breaft, and lelfer Coverts of the Wings, are of a fine dark, 
Green-colour; on its Head it hath a Creft, which it raifeth at Pleafure ; the very Tips 
of the Feathers on the Creft are Red ; the Thighs, lower Belly, and Coverts under the 
Tail, are dusky or black ; the Back, Wings, and Tail, are of a fine bluilh Purple^ 
colour; part of the greater Wing-feathers or Quills, next the Belly, are of a fine 
Crimfon-colour, well expreffed by pure Carmine ; their Tips and Borders of the outer 
Webs are black the Legs, Feet, and Claws, Afh-colour ; the Toes are fituate as in 
Woodpeckers, ‘Parrots, and Cuckows : What Genus of Birds to range this with, I carr- 
not pofitively fay ; it climes not as Parrots do, nor doth it agree with them in any 
refpea, except in the Pofition of the Toes ; nor is its Bill any thing like a Woodpecker’s,. 
fo that I think it neareft the Cuckow-kmd. Jlb'm has figur’d this Bird, and calls it 
•the Crown Bird from Mexico ;. tho’ thefc Birds are indeed Jfricans, brought from- 
Guinea, by the Way of the Wefl Indies, to us; he hath not lhaped his Bill right, nor 
deferibed well the Marks about the Eye; he mentions White in the Wings, which I 
could not difeover, tho’ I have drawn after two different Birds of this Kind! 
This Bird is now living at Colonel Lout her’ sPioMle, in St. Park, where! 
have been permitted to make Drawings of it for feveral Perfons of Diftindion. The- 
Texture of this Bird’s Feathers are fo'fine,. that no diftinft Form- of Feathers can be 
difeovered, except in the Wings and Tail. See Mr. Albin’s Figure, Vol. 2, Page 18.. 
of his Natural Hi/lory of Birds. His Bird was either a great deal lefs than mine, or 
one of us muft be pretty much miftaken in the Size, fince he makes it of the Size of tl:-e 
Mijfel Bird, which is not above half the Bignefs of a.Jay or Magpye., to which I have 
likened it for Size., 
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