BIRDS. 
245 
dance. Sometimes with its feet and bill it makes a breach 
in the nest, and devours the ants at its ease, together with 
their eggs. The young ones climb up and down the trees 
before they are able to fly ; they roost very early, and 
repose in their holes till day. There are many different 
kinds of Woodpecker, five of which are common to this 
country. 
THE TOUCAN (Ramphastos tucanus,) 
Is a native of South America, very conspicuous for the 
magnitude and shape of his bill. It is about the size of 
the magpie, but the beak alone is nearly as big as the rest 
of the body ; the head is large and strong, and the neck 
short, in order the more easily to support the bulk of such 
a beak. The head, neck, and wings are black ; the breast 
shines with a most lovely saffron colour, with a certain 
redness near the beginning ; the lower part of the body 
and the thighs are of a most beautiful vermillion ; the 
tail is black, but of a bright red at the end. One of these 
birds that was kept in a cage was very fond of fruit, 
which it held for some time in its beak, touching it with 
great delight with the tip of its feathery tongue, and then 
