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nected, they will convey a more lively idea of the habits and economy of this group of birds, than could be

obtained from a condensed account derived therefrom; at the same time I must remark that on some points

they are very contradictory.

The Prince Maximilian of Wied, who has kindly forwarded to me some valuable notes on the Brazilian

species observed by him during his travels in that part of South America, says, “ The Ramphastide are very

common in all parts of the extensive forests of the Brazils, and are killed in great numbers at the cooler

portion of the year for the purposes of the table. To the stranger they are of even greater interest than

to the natives, from their remarkable form and from the rich and strongly contrasted style of their colouring ;
their black or green bodies being adorned with markings of the most brilliant hue—red, orange, blue and
white; their naked orbits in some instances red, and in others green or blue; the naked parts of the body
dyed with brilliant colours ; the legs blue or green, the irides blue, yellow, &c.; and the large bill of a
different colour in every species, and in many instances very gaily marked. The colouring of the soft
parts is, however, so evanescent, that, to determine the species with accuracy, they must be depicted
during life or immediately after the birds are killed. Common as these birds are in their native wilds, it
is exceedingly difficult to detect their breeding places ; it is certain that they deposit their eggs in the
hollow limbs and holes of the colossal trees so abundant in the tropical forests, but I was never so
fortunate as to discover them. The stomachs of the specimens I examined contained nothing but the
remains of fruits, principally of the softer kinds, for which indeed they have such a liking that they resort
in great numbers to the plantations in the vicinity of their native haunts and commit sad havoc among
their favourite delicacies. I was informed that they frequently steal and eat young birds, but no instance
of their so doing came under my own observation, and I never detected the remains of animal food in their
stomachs: Mr. Waterton’s opinion agrees with mine, that they feed solely upon fruits; but Azara, among
others, states that they also feed upon animal substances. ‘The specimens we saw in a state of domestica-
tion were very voracious and perfectly omnivorous, but they seem to be purely frugivorous in a state of
nature, a fact which was indeed confirmed by the Brazilian natives whom we questioned on the subject.
In their manners the Ramphastide offer some resemblance to the Corvide, and especially to the Magpies ;
like them they are very troublesome to the birds of prey, particularly to the Owls, which they surround and
annoy by making a great noise, all the while jerking their tails upwards and downwards. The flight of these
birds is easy and graceful; and they sweep with facility over the loftiest trees of their native forests ;
their strangely developed bills, contrary to expectation, are no encumbrance to them, for a singularity of
structure (the interior being replete with a tissue of air-filled cells) renders these organs very light and
even buoyant. The voice of the Ramphastide is short and unmelodious, and is somewhat different in every
Their feathers are used by the Indians for personal decoration, especially the yellow breasts of

species.

the birds, which they affix to their heads on each side near the temple, and also to the ends of their bows.

The descriptions of these birds in the older authors are very incomplete and of little value, from want of

knowledge relative to the colouring of their bill and soft parts; nor have they been correctly described in

  

 
 
  
  
 
 
 
  
   
    
  
  
 
 
 
 
  
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 

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