Reptiles and birds - a popular account of their various orders, with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting (1883) (14750065934)

Toucan Ramphastos ariel and Curl-crested Aracari (Pteroglossus beauharnaesii)

Identifier: reptilesbirds00figu (find matches)

Title: Reptiles and birds : a popular account of their various orders, with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting

Year: 1883 (1880s)

Authors: Figuier, Louis, 1819-1894 Gillmore, Parker

Subjects: Reptiles Birds

Publisher: London : Cassell & Co.

Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library

Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

Text Appearing Before Image:

as long as the beak, which is covered oneach side with closely-packed barbs, similar to a feather, the use ofwhich remains to us a complete mystery. This curious instrumentso struck the naturalists of Brazil, where many Toucans are found,that it furnished them with a name. In Brazilian toucan meansfeather.^ Toucans feed on fruits and insects; they live in bands of fromsix to ten in damp places where the palm-tree flourishes, for its fruitis their favourite food. In eating they seize the fruit with the ex-tremity of the beak, make it bounce up in the air, receive it then 442 REPTILES AND BIRDS. into the throat, and swallow it in one piece. If it is too large, andimpossible to divide, they reject it. They are rarely seen on theground, and although their flight is heavy and difficult, they perchon the branches of the highest trees, where they remain in ceaselessmotion. Their call is a sort of whistle, frequently uttered. Verytimid, they are approached with difficulty. During the breeding

Text Appearing After Image:

(70—Common Toucan. Fig. 171.—Curl-crested Aracari. season they attack the weakest birds of their own race, chase themfrom their nests, and devour the eggs or nearly-hatched young ones.They build their nests in holes hollowed out by Woodpeckers orother birds. They all have very brilliant plumage, and inhabitParaguay, Brazil, and Guiana. This family is divided into Toucans, properly speaking, and theAracaris. These are distinguished from the former by their much lesssize, more solid beak, and longer tail. The most beautiful species ofthe family is Cuviers Toucan (Rhaniphastos Cuvieri). The beautiful GREY CUCKOO. 443 orange feathers which cover some of these birds are sometimes em-ployed for ladies adornments. This fashion has passed from Braziland Peru into Europe, and mufts made of the throats of Toucanssell at a great price. The Common Toucan (Rhawphastos artel, Fig. 170) is verynumerous in its habitat, and consequently best known in Europe.The Curl-crested Aracari (Pteroglossus t

pteroglossus beauharnaesii ramphastidae illustrations ramphastos vitellinus ariel illustrations reptiles and birds a popular account of their various orders 1883 book illustrations ornithology birds zoological illustration natural history american museum of natural history flight animal locomotion reptiles images from internet archive

1883

American Museum of Natural History Library

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