{ 64 ) 
The Toucan, or Brasilian Pye. 
HIS Bird is of the Bignefs of a common tame Pigeon^ fhaped pretty much 
)| like a Magpye in the Body, but its Head larger, the better to fuftain, the Great- 
nefs of its Bill: The Tail is rather fhort than long, compofed of Feathers of equal 
Length. 
The Bill, from the Forehead, or the Angles of the Mouth, to the Point, is fix 
Inches long j its Height, or Depth, where deepeft, is fomething more than two In¬ 
ches ; from Side to Side, near the Head, one Inch thick : The upper Mandible is of a 
pale yellow greenifii Colour j the Sides near the toothed Edges have each a long 
Cloud of Orange-Colour, tranfverfly barr’d with black, or dulky Lines, which pafs 
thro’ the Divifions of the Bill a little Way into the Sides of the lower Mandible j the 
lower Mandible is of an exceeding fine Blue Colour, faint towards the Head, fironger 
towards the Point > the Point itfelf, of both upper and lower Mandible, for above an 
Inch Depth, is of a fine Scarlet Colour j the Bill is very much comprelTed fide-ways, 
and ends in a perfedl Edge along its upper Part 5 the Edge of the lower Mandible is 
fomething lefs ridged j the Bill is bowed towards the Point, as is exprelTed, and has a large 
Cavity above the Roof of the Mouth j the Noftrils are invifible, being fituated 
pretty near together in the upper Part of the Bill, juft in the Line which pafies between 
the Bill and the Forehead : The Eyes are of a dark Hazel-Colour, encompafied round 
with a bare Skin of a greenifti Yellow Colour, having Seams or Creafes running in a 
broken Manner round the Eye, and reaching to the Bill, there pafies all round the Bafis 
of it a narrow black Line: The Top of the Head, upper Side of the Neck, Back, 
Wings, Belly, Thighs, and Tail, are of a Black Colour, the Wings only having a 
fhining, changeable Luftre; the Sides of the Head, Throat, and Breaft, are White, or 
rather Cream-Colour; and between the White on the Breaft, and the black Belly, there 
is a Crefcent of fine Red, whofe Horns point upwards on the Sides, and this is foftened 
both above and beneath into the Colours it joins with: The Rump, or Coverts on the 
upper Side of the Tail, are White ; the Feathers beyond the Vent, and thofe that co¬ 
ver the under Side of the Tail, are of a pale Red j the Legs, Feet and Claws, are of a 
light Blue, or Violet Colour J it perches with two Toes forward, and two behind, in 
each Foot. 
This Bird I met with by good Fortune alive at Mr. Concanen's^ the King’s Attor¬ 
ney-General for the Ifland of Jamaicay from which Place he brought it to England',. 
it came from fome Part of the Spanijh Main Land. By the Defcriptions and Figures 
extant of thefe Birds, I imagine there are many Species of them, feeing they fo much 
differ : I have alfo feen Variety of their Bills in Colledions, fome longer by two Inches 
than this, and others much fhorter ; fome otherwife marked, and others of a Ihining 
Black Colour. Since none, who have defcribed this Bird, pretend to have feen it a- 
live, and moft of the' Accounts we have are Colledtions and Tranflations from foreign 
Hiftorians and Voyagers 5 and I having had an Opportunity to draw this Bird, whilft 
living, and in Health, as well as examining it particularly after it died, I hope this 
Figure and Defcription, having nothing borrowed in it, will give at leaft to my Coun¬ 
trymen a more perfedl Idea and Knowledge of it than they have hitherto had. After 
this Bird was dead, the Colours in the Bill were wholly loft and obfcur’d, and the bare 
Space round the Eye turn’d blacks Phe 
