Caparo. 
1894 
March 20 
Toucans 
» 
I started, out early this morning with the express 
intention of shooting a Toucan. Rather curiously I had 
at once an opportunity which I did not improve and shortly 
afterwards a experience which is probably rare, for 
Mr. Chapman has seen nothing of the kind, not has Mr. Carr, 
either, for that matter. It all happened in this wise. 
I went first to the ajoupa to get my collecting basket and 
while there heard a Toucan calling apparently at a consid¬ 
erable distance. I started in the direction of the sound 
but I had gone scarce twenty yards when I became conscious 
that it came from nearly overhead. Looking up I at once 
saw the beautiful great.bird sitting in the top of a bois 
immortel, its breast turned towards the rising sun which 
brought out the brilliant coloring of the plumage, the 
shining black of the huge bill and the blue of the bare 
skin about the eyes, with the greatest distinctness. Here 
was my chance for the bird was not thirty yards off, but I 
simply atood and stared at him with speechless wonder and 
admiration until he finally flew, when the dense cacao 
foliage prevented my getting a shot. Clearly a case of 
Toucan "fever" , but I did not regret the episode. 
It was evidently a Toucan morning for I could hear 
the birds calling in every direction. Selecting one which 
apparently ?;as not far off I crossed the road, waded knee 
deep through the grass and weeds of an ill-kept cacao grove 
