Knowledge of natural history, revfrom Reason why: natural history, giving reasons for hundreds of interesting facts in connection with zoology; and throwing light upon the peculiar habits and instincts of the various orders of the animal kingdom . of the peculiarly dis-tinct manner in which they speakthe word cockatoo, though gen-erally they are less capable ofarticulating sounds than the trueparrot. Cockatoos are distin-guished from true parrots, andall others, by a crest, or tuft offeathers on the head, which theycan raise or depress at pleasure. 816. Why is the toucantribe so named?From the
Knowledge of natural history, revfrom Reason why: natural history, giving reasons for hundreds of interesting facts in connection with zoology; and throwing light upon the peculiar habits and instincts of the various orders of the animal kingdom . of the peculiarly dis-tinct manner in which they speakthe word cockatoo, though gen-erally they are less capable ofarticulating sounds than the trueparrot. Cockatoos are distin-guished from true parrots, andall others, by a crest, or tuft offeathers on the head, which theycan raise or depress at pleasure. 816. Why is the toucantribe so named?From the cry tu-cano which it utters when upon thewatch, or when apprehensive of danger. 817. Why does the toucan toss hack its head whileeating? This habit is rendered necessary by the length of thebill and the stiffness of the tongue, which prevent theireating as other birds; they therefore, when the morsel hasreceived its first mastication, throw it into the gullet witha smart jerk. 818. The toucan has a practice of returning his food, some time afterhe has transmitted it to his crop; and, after masticating it for a secondtime in the bill, again swallowing it; the whole operation bearing astrong resemblance to the process in ruminating KNOWLEDGE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 261 The merry cuckowe, messenger of spring, His trumpet shrill has thrice already sounded;That warnes all louvers waite upon their king, Who now is coming forth with girland crowned.—Spencer. 819. Why has the toucan such an immense bill? In order to enable it to procure its food, consisting ofsmall birds and their eggs, found in deep nests, and vari-ous hard vegetable substances. 820. The bill of the toucan, although large—in some instances beingnearly as long as the body itself—is light and cellular. It serves as ahatchet, and at the same time has all the delicate action of a very neatpair of pliers. The toucan is not a swift or powerful flyer; but itsmotions, as it hops from branch to branch, are not ung
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1916
