RAMPHASTOS TOCARD, Fieii.

Tocard ‘Toucan.

Specretc CHARACTER.

Ramph. mandibule superioris base in erne inferiorisque basi totd castaneo-rufis; hujus apice
linedque obliqua a rictu ad frontem extensd nigris ; supertoris culmine parteque antica

aurantiacis ; gutture lutescenti-flavo ; tectricibus caudce supervoribus albis.

General plumage black ; throat rich yellow, bounded below by a narrow line of white, to
which succeeds a broader one of scarlet ; upper tail-coverts white ; under tail-coverts blood-
red; basal half of the sides of both mandibles reddish chestnut, passing into black ante-
riorly on the upper mandible, and into the black apical half of the lower mandible; the
remainder of the upper mandible rich orange-yellow, the extent of the two colours being
strongly defined ; orbits and naked skin of the throat beautiful yellow ; irides blackish
brown; tarsi and feet blue.

Total length, 23 inches; zl/, 63; wing, 9=; tail, 7; tarsi, 2.

Le Tocard, Levaill. Hist. Nat. des Ois. de Parad., tom. 1. p. 25. pl. 9.

Ramphastos Tocard, Vieill. Nouv. Dict. d’'Hist. Nat., 2nde Edit., tom. 34. p. 280.—Ib. Ency.
Méth. Orn., part iii. p. 1480.—Wagl. Syst. Av., Ramphastos, sp. 4.—Less. Traité
dOrn., p. 171, Ramphastos, sp. 4.—Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. ii.
p. 403, Ramphastos, sp. 5.- -Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 93, Ramphastos, sp. 8.
ambiguus, Swains. Zool. Ill., vol. i. pl. 168.

——_._ Swainsoni?, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part I. p. 69.—Ib. Mon. of Ramph.,
pl. 8.—Ib. Sturm’s Edit.

———— eugnathos, Wagl.

 

Iv the former edition of this work I dedicated this species to Mr. Swainson the ornithologist, under the
belief that as so much confusion existed with respect to the bird figured by Levaillant under the name of
Le Tocard,\ should be better promoting the cause of science by giving it a new name, than in retaining one
which it was very doubtful if it belonged to it. I find, however, that modern writers are generally disposed
to prefer the term Zocard applied to it by M. Vieillot, and as it is far from my wish to dissent from the
general opinion without very good grounds for so doing, I have adopted it in the present edition. I may
add, that I was mainly induced to give a distinctive appellation by the circumstance of Levaillant’s figure
representing the bird with a white breast ; but I have now every reason for believing that this was due to
his having drawn from a faded specimen.

The native habitat of this species is the hotter and temperate regions of Peru, Ecuador and Columbia.
I have myself received it from Bogota, Popayan and Quito ; and there are magnificent specimens in the
British Museum, which I believe were collected at Buena Ventura. We find that it was one of the species
which excited the attention of Dr. Tschudi during his travels in Peru; he informs us that it extends
farther to the eastward than any other species observed by him, and that it is found in the hottest parts of
the country; that it shrouds itself in solitude amidst the dense foliage of the gigantic trees during the
day, and only comes out at sunset. Its monotonous cry closely resembles the Spanish words ‘‘ Dioste dé”
(May God give thee) ; hence the Indians call it Dioste dé, and maintain that while emitting its cry it cannot
be shot; but the contrary is the case, for its attention being entirely absorbed in its occupation, it takes
no heed of the hunter, and may be easily procured. Dr. Tschudi also states, that a living specimen kept
by him for some time while at Lima lived very peaceably with the fowls, and took its food with them ; and
that it was his intention to have brought it with him to Europe, but unluckily it fell into a water-tank kept
for ducks, and was drowned.

I have been favoured by M. Jules Bourcier, late French Consul at Quito, with a fine head and neck of a

 

‘ specimen which he procured living, and which unfortunately died on his passage to Europe: this relic,
together with the information M. Bourcier gave me, has enabled me to figure the soft parts correctly. But
neither M. Bourcier nor Dr. Tschudi has told us whether the difference observable in the colouring of the
bill is due to sex or to immaturity. This therefore is a point yet to be determined by those who may be
favourably situated for investigating it.

The Ramphastos Tocard must be regarded as one of the largest and noblest members of the family, and
one which would be a most attractive and ornamental object for our aviaries, could it be introduced with
success ; a matter in my opinion of but little difficulty.

The figures are of the natural size.