the angles of the mouth to its point, is six inches and a half; and its breadth in the thickest part is a little more than two. Its thickness near the head is one inch and a quarter; and it is a little rounded along the upper chap, the under side being rounded also; the whole of the bill extremely slight, and a little thicker than parchment. The upper chap is of a bright yellow, except on each side, which is of a fine scarlet color; as is also the lower chap, except at the base, which is purple. Between the head and the bill there is a black line of separation all round the base of the bill; in the upper part of which the nostrils are placed, and are almost covered with feathers, which has occasioned some writers to say, that the toucan has no nostrils. Round the eyes, on each side of the head, is a space of bluish skin, void of feathers, above which the head is black, except a white spot on each side joining to

the base of the upper chap. The hinder part of the neck, the back, wings, tail, belly, and thighs, are black. The under side of the head, throat, and the beginning of the breast, are white. Between the white on the breast, and the black on the belly, is a space of red feathers, in the form of a new moon, with its horns upwards. The legs, feet, and claws, are of an ash color; and the toes stand like those of parrots, two before, and two behind. This bird is easily tamed, and will become very familiar, and eat almost any thing offered to it; in general it feeds on fruits. In its wild state, it is a noisy bird, and is perpetually moving from place to place, in quest of food, going northward or southward, as the fruits ripen. Grapes, however, seem to be one of its most favorite articles of food. If these are plucked from the stalk, one by one, and thrown to it, the toucan will catch them with great dexterity before they fall to the ground.

These birds when in flocks, on retiring to rest, generally appoint one to watch during the night. While they are asleep, he sits perched at the top of a tree, above them, and makes a continual noise, resembling ill articulated sounds, moving also his head, during the whole time, to the right and left. For this reason the South Americans give to the toucan the name of preacher toucan.

The toucan builds its nest in the holes of trees, that are either formed by itself, or that from accident it meets with, and lays two eggs; and no bird better secures its young from external injury. It has not only birds, men, and serpents to guard against, but a numerous train of monkeys, still more prying, mischievous, and hungry, than all the rest. The toucan, however, sits in its hole, defending the entrance with its great beak; and if the monkey venture to offer a visit of curiosity, the toucan gives him such a welcome that he is soon glad to make his escape.

This bird is a native of Guiana and Brazil, and is said to be in great request in South America; both from the delicacy of its flesh, and on account of the beauty of its plumage, particularly the feathers of the breast. The skin of this part the Indians pluck off, and, when dry, glue to their cheeks, and this they consider as an irresistible addition to their beauty.

THE PARROT.1

THIS bird is said to have been first introduced into Europe, by Alexander the Great. It is equally remarkable for its beauty and its docility. But its chief attraction is to be found in its ability to utter articulate sounds, a gift which it possesses in far greater perfection than any other bird. Its voice also is more like a man's than any other; the raven is too hoarse, and the jay and magpie too shrill, to resemble the truth; but the parrot's note is of the true pitch, and capable of a variety of modulations. For this it is indebted to the form of its bill, tongue, and head. "Its bill, round on the outside and hollow within, has in some degree the capacity of a mouth, and allows the tongue to play freely; and the sound, striking against the circular border of the lower mandible, is there modified as on a row of teeth, while the concavity of the upper mandible reflects it like a palate; hence the animal does not utter a whistling sound, but a full articulation. The tongue, which modulates all sounds, is proportionably larger than in man; and would be more voluble, were it not harder than flesh, and invested with

1 The genus Psittacus, which includes parrots, maccaws, cockatoos, &c., has the bill short, thick, gibbous, very strong, convex above and below, much bent and hooked at the point; lower mandible short, obtuse; base of the bill within a cere; head large, nostrils orbicular, pierced in the cere, open; legs short, robust; tarsus shorter than the external toe; the interior toes united at their base; tail of varied form.

a strong horny membrane." In addition to the talent of speech, the parrot is endowed with a strong memory and a high degree of sagacity.

The bill is fashioned with peculiarities; for the upper chap, as well as the lower, are both movable. In most other birds the upper chap is connected, and makes but one piece with the skull; but in these, and in one or two species of the feathered tribe more, the upper chap is connected to the bone of the head by a strong membrane, placed on each side, that lifts and depresses it at pleasure. By this contrivance they can open their bills the wider; which is not a little useful, as the upper chap is so hooked and so overhanging, that, if the lower chap only had motion, they could scarcely gape sufficiently to take any thing in for their nourishment.

The parrot, though common enough in Europe, will not, however, breed there. The climate is too cold for its warm constitution; and though it bears our winter when arrived at maturity, yet it always seems sensible of its rigor, and loses both its spirits and appetite during the colder part of the

season.

The sagacity which parrots show in a domestic state, seems also natural to them in their native residence among the woods. They live together in flocks, and mutually assist each other against other animals, either by their courage or their notes of warning. They generally breed in hollow trees, where they make a round hole, and do not line their nest within. If they find any part of a tree beginning to rot from the breaking off of a branch, or any such accident, this they take care to scoop, and to make the hole sufficiently wide and convenient; but it sometimes happens that they are content with the hole which a woodpecker has wrought out with greater ease before them; and in this they prepare to hatch and bring up their young. The female lays two or three eggs, about the size of those of a pigeon, and marked with little specks. The natives are very assiduous in seeking their nests, and usually take them by cutting down the tree. By this means, indeed, the young parrots are liable to be killed; but if one of them survive, it is considered as a sufficient recompense. The old ones are shot with heavy arrows headed with cotton, which knock them down without killing them. The food commonly given to these birds consists of hemp-seed, nuts, fruits of every kind, and bread soaked in wine; they would prefer meat, but that kind of aliment has been found to make them dull and heavy, and to cause their feathers to drop off after some time. It has been observed that they keep their food in a kind of pouch, from which they afterwards throw it up, in the same manner as ruminating animals.

THE CAROLINA PARROT.1

THIS is the only species found native within the territory of the United States. The vast luxuriant tracts lying within the torrid zone, seem to be the favorite residence of those noisy, numerous, and richly plumaged tribes. The Carolina parrot inhabits the interior of Louisiana, and the shores of the Mississippi, and Ohio, east of the Alleghanies. It is seldom seen north of Maryland. Their private places of resort are low, rich alluvial bottoms along the borders of creeks; deep and almost impenetrable swamps filled with sycamore and cypress trees, and those singular salines or licks, so interspersed over the western country. Here, too, is a great abundance of their favorite fruits. The seeds of the cypress tree and beech nuts, are eagerly sought after by these birds.

The flight of the Carolina parrot is very much like that of the wild pigeon, in close compact bodies, moving with great rapidity, making a loud and outrageous screaming, like that of the red-headed woodpecker. Their flight is sometimes in a direct line, but most usually circuitous, making a

1 Psittacus Carolinensis, LIN.

great variety of elegant and easy serpentine meanders, as if for pleasure. They generally roost in the hollow trunks of old sycamores, in parties of thirty or forty together. Here they cling fast to the sides of the tree, holding by their claws and bills. They appear to be fond of sleep, and often retire to their holes during the day, probably to take their regular siesta. They are extremely social and friendly towards each other.

They build in companies in hollow trees. This bird is thirteen inches long; the forehead and cheeks are orange red; down and round the neck a rich and pure yellow; the shoulder and bend of the wings also edged with rich orange red. The general color of the rest of the plumage is a bright yellowish silky green, with light blue reflections. It is altogether superior in elegance of figure, and beauty of plumage, to many of the foreign parrots. It is docile and sociable, and soon becomes perfectly familiar, but cannot be taught to speak. These birds are rapidly diminishing. According to Mr Audubon, very few of them are to be found north of Cincinnati ; and there are not, at present, half the number along the Mississippi, that existed there fifteen years ago.

Is distinguished from the parrot, by its head being adorned with a crest of long feathers, which is capable of being erected and lowered at will, and gives the bird a strikingly fine appearance. It is a native of the Molucca Islands, and other parts of the East Indies, where it is frequently known to build on the tops of houses. Like the rest of the parrot kind, it is capable of uttering sea phrases and sentences, with equal propriety of tone and volubility. It derives its name from its frequent repetition of the syllables cock-a-too. It delights in damp and marshy situations, and usually dwells near rivers or brooks, where it indulges in frequent bathing. In bathing, indeed, it feels a particular pleasure, even when a captive. Vegetable sub