Page:Natural History, Birds.djvu/197

184 escape; but it was not at all shy or timid. The beak, though very thin and light, was far from displaying that parchment-like flexibility spoken of by some writers; on the contrary, it was firm and strong. We were accustomed to lift the bird by the beak, when we wished to handle it, to place it in the cage, or to take it out, as we would take hold of a rabbit by its ears; and the Toucan manifested no sign of pain or even inconvenience. It was fed principally with rice, boiled to a firm consistence; it was also very fond of ripe mangoes, pine-apples, and other fruits. Its mode of feeding was to pick off a portion of the pulpy fruit, or to take up a lump of the agglutinated rice, with the point of the beak, and then by a backward jerk of the head, toss the morsel into the throat: we never saw it attempt to throw its food into the air, and catch it. It was not indulged with animal food.

The Keel-beaked Toucan is conspicuous for the number and brilliancy of the hues that adorn its beak, which is of large size. It is remarkable also for the thin ridge or keel which runs along the upper edge of this organ; this ridge, as well as the edges of the upper mandible, is of a golden yellow; the sides are rich green; and the lower mandible is blue changing into green; the tips of both mandibles are scarlet; a narrow band of black surrounds the base of the beak. The naked skin which environs the eyes is violet, as are also the feet. The plumage of the throat and breast is lemon-yellow, margined by a crescent-band of scarlet at the lower part. The upper tail-coverts, are white, and those beneath are scarlet. All the rest of the plumage is of a shining black.