OBSERVATIONS 
ON 
THE ANATOMY OF THE TOUCAN. 
The organs of digestion in the Toucan present a general simplicity of structure, which accords with its 
geographical position and power of assimilating both animal and vegetable food, so abundantly jirovided by 
Nature in a tropical climate. The amplitude of the oesojdiagus and general width of the intestinal canal 
correspond to the magnitude of the beak. There is no lateral dilatation or crop, nor is the gizzard so 
encroached upon by its muscular pai-ietes as to I'ender such a reservoir for the alimentary substances necessary. 
The intestinal canal is equally devoid of lateral pouches, or ececai the gastric glands are of a simple form, and 
are disposed, for the extent of an inch, around the termination of the tesophagus. The communication of the 
gizzard with the proventriculus is free, and readily permits regurgitation to take place. This act has been 
observed in two living species of Toucan (jRamphastos Enjthrorhjnclms and Ramph. Ariel, Vigors); and as 
the substances so regurgitated were, after undergoing a second mastication, again swallowed, it may he 
compared to the rumination of herbivorous quadrupeds. 
The intestinal canal does not exceed the length of the body, including the bill. The general structure 
of the digestive apparatus of the Hornbill agrees with that of the Toucan. 
The liver of the Toucan is composed of two lobes, of unequal size, joined by a small hand, the margins of 
the lobes being more rounded than usual. There is no gall-bladder, and in this deficiency the Toucan 
manifests an affinity to the Picidos and Psittacidee, among the Scatisores ; w'hile the Hornbill, on the contrary, 
resembles the Corvidee in the large development of its biliary receptacle. A small hepatic duct enters the 
duodenum near its commencement; and a second duct, about two lines in diameter, passes to a more distant 
part of the intestine, where it terminates close to the insertion of the two pancreatic ducts. 
The kidneys are composed of three lobes, of which the middle one is the smallest; their length is li inch ; 
their surface is convoluted, though in a less marked degree than in reptiles. Between the anterior extremities 
of these glands, in a female specimen of Ramphastos Ariel, was situated the ovary, of a triangular shape, and 
apparently healthy in structure. The ova were like minute granules, and disposed in a convoluted manner. 
The supra-renal glands were imbedded in the posterior part of the ovary. The oviduct was as lax-ge as 
a crow-quill; it commenced by the usual fimbriated and wide aperture, was slightly tortuous at the 
commencement, and then continued sti’aight to the cloaca. 
Among the vai-ied forms of tongue which birds present, that of the Toucan is one of the most remax-kable. 
Its length from the aperture of the glottis, in a full-grown Ramphastos Toco, was six inches. The posterior 
ridge, or backward-projecting process, was bi'oad and finely notched ; it was situated about 4 lines from the 
glottis. Anterior to this process the tongue is soft and minutely papillose for the extent of 4 lines, and here, 
most probably, the sense of taste resides : the rest of the organ consists of a transparent horny lamina. 
