( m it
Toe Brajïlian Tie. Toucan,
Numb. XXV,
TH IS Bird Is little bigger than the common Magpie, the Head, Neck, and upper
Part o f the Back towards the Neck are black; the reft o f the Back and Wines
Ihew fomething of a cinereous whitenefs ; The Breaft fhines with a moft bright and
lovely gold or faffron Colour with a certain rednefs near the Beginning; the Belly
and Thighs o f a moft beautiful vermilion or fcarlet Colour : The red Colour reaches
almoft half way o f the Tail, and is. intercepted by a broad Bar o f black, and ending
in a beautiful red ; the Legs, Feet, and Claws, are black.
Its Bill is very large, coniidering the Bignefs o f the Bird : Its Length was fix Inches ;
Breadth at the upper part towards the Head two Inches and a quarter ; the Circumference
at the fame Place five Inces and a half ; the upper Chap is large and fomewhat hooked
with a Cavity exaftly fitting the Under Chap, both cerate or toothed, and o f a thin
bony Subftance, and a covering over that, o f a horny like Scale, both very thin and
light, weighing but eight Drams "; It was of a yellowifh Colour clouded with a darkifh
green : ' towards thé End or Point redifh ; its Noftrils were fituate juft above the horny
Subftance o f the Bill, adjoining to the Head, which is large and thick, as is fuitable
and requifite to fuftain a Bill o f that Length and Bignefs: They are faid to build
their Nefts in Holes, they make in the Trees where they fecure their Young ones
from the Monkeys, after this manner; when fhe perceives the'Approach of thofe
Enemies, fhe fo fettles herfelf in her Neft as to put her Bill "out at the Hole, and
gives the Monkies fuch an unwelcome Reception, that they preféntly withdraw and
glad they efcape fo : From this Quality o f making Holes in Trees, this Bird is called
by the Spaniard, Carpentero, and by the Brajilians, Tacataca, In Imitation, I fuppofe,
o f the Sound it makes..
It feeds upon almoft all the fame Things which 'Parrots do, but was moft greedy of
Grapes, which being pluckt off one by one,. and toffed to it, it would moft dextroufly
catch in the Air before they fell to the Ground; the Fleih of the whole; Body was
o f a deep violet Colour.
This Bird I faw in the Colleétion o f Thomas Walker, Apothecary, in Crooked-
Lane, London. I likewife have one o f the Bills now by me while I writ this De*
fcription.