The British Guiana Museum. 255 
Close to these motmots, along the top, are several 
specimens of different species of the bill-birds or toucans. 
This family (Rhamphastidds) is wholly confined to 
tropical America, and is well chara6lerised by the 
peculiarly enlarged bills, the only approach to the 
same condition being found in the Old World horn- 
bills already described. The bills are extremely 
light owing to the open cellular tissue of which they are 
chiefly composed. The tongue is always very long and 
feathery-looking ; and the toes are dire6led two forwards 
and two backwards. The plumage is always rich, and 
the coloration of the bill, chiefly of red and yellow, but 
always with patches of white, black or blue, renders it a 
most beautiful object. Unfortunately, the delicacy of the 
colours of the bill is lost after death, even after the most 
careful manipulation, and many of the tints can only be 
shewn by the addition of paint on the inside. The food 
of these birds consists chiefly of fruits and inse6ls. They 
are very plentiful in the forests. 
Of the small tropical American family known as the 
puff-birds or barbets (Bucconidde) a few specimens are 
shewn, at the inner end of the case, by the parrots. The 
bill is usually very strong and thick and suddenly curved at 
the tip (Bucco), but sometimes it is rather thin and curved 
throughout (Chelidoptera) . The nostrils are surrounded 
with bunches of bristles, the head is extremely large, the 
neck short, and the plumage dense ; while two toes are 
directed forwards and two backwards. A very curious 
feature in the Buccos is their want of apprehension of 
danger. Shot after shot may often be fired at or close 
to these birds, and they will either not move at all or will 
but slightly shift their position. Chelidoptera some- 
KK 2 
