INTRODUCTION.

The only nest we ever saw, which

hollows of trees. It may be so in many cases and with some species.

was of the Toco Toucan, was in the fork of a large tree, over the water, upon the Amazon.
c

5 Eas Peet ie ar ins’ : :
« Toucans, when tamed, are exceedingly familiar, playful birds, capable of learning as many feats as
any of the Parrots, with the exception of talking.
««When turning about on their perch, they effect their object by one sudden jump. They eat anything,
but are particularly fond of meat.
“ When roosting they have a habit of elevating their tails over their backs. The beaks of the Red-
5 J
billed Toucans are richly marked with red, yellow, and black; but preserved specimens soon lose their
beauty.
“The other varieties found near Parad are the Pteroglossus maculirostris (Licht.), the P. ditorquatus

(Vig.), and the P. viridis.”

But few notes have been written on the Toucans of the Pacific side of America; I find, however,
the following in the ‘ Zoology of the Voyage of the Sulphur,’ by the late R. B. Hinds, Esq. :—

“Tn our examination of the west coast of America from south to north, the Ramphastide were first
seen at Atacames, which is a little south of the equator ; and they were subsequently often noticed at the
different places touched at as far as the Gulf of Fonseca, in 13°17’ N. Lat. This is, however, most
certainly not their geographical limit, and probably not even on the coast.’—Zool. of Voy. of Sulphur,

p. 46.

Latham and some of the older authors mention a Preacher Toucan, but which species is intended is
by no means clear. The name may possibly have arisen from the following note in the 42nd volume of the
Gentleman’s Magazine, p. 505 :—

«The genus is confined to the hotter parts of South America; near Carthagena is found a bird called
Preacher, from the custom of its perching above its companions, and with a ridiculous motion of its head,
attended with its harsh note, as it were uttering a discourse.”

By Linneus and the older writers, all the members of this group known to them were comprised in
the single genus Ramphastos. In the year 1811, however, Illiger separated the smaller and more elegantly-
formed species, popularly known as A4racaris, into a distinct genus, to which he gave the name of Pfero-
glossus. Since that period we have acquired a much more extensive acquaintance with the subject, and we
find that a still further subdivision of the family is necessary ; indeed they appear to be naturally divided
into five or six distinct sections or genera, each having well-marked characters not found in any of the
others. The genus Ramphastos of Linneus must of course be retained for the Toucans, distinguished by

their large and gaily- . ills A pee oe = :
arge and gaily-coloured bills, and the black colouring of their plumage ; in like manner Illiger’s genus

Pteroglossus is retaine Ve NCS ae 8 :
2 etained for the Aragaris, birds having a more elegant contour, and whose bodies are

clothed in green above and yellow and red beneath.

In both these sections the sexes are alike in colour.