remarkably acute. The hunter must be acquainted with this circumstance, or he will find it almost impossible to get a shot at them. They build their nests in the hollow of old trees, and make a small circular opening immediately in front. The female lays but two eggs, on which she sits, and with her formidable beak protruding from the port hole of her fortress, she is able effectually to protect herself, and repel all monkeys, serpents, or other animals or reptiles, who may be disposed to invade her sacred premises.

The English word Toucan is derived from the Brazilian name Tucano, and the generic term of Ramphastos' applied to the entire race, was invented by Linnæus from ramphos,' a bill, on account of the immense size of that organ.

Although it appears strange to the superficial observer, that a bird of such splendid plumage as the Toucan should be supported by such uncouth feet, and burdened with such an apparently disproportionate beak, yet nothing is more certain, than that nature, in these seeming defects, has some wise though latent object in view, for she is the unerring minister of HIM who doeth all things well.'

In

Among the numerous genera of birds which inhabit tropical countries, none are more universally known and admired than that of the Parrots, to which we now propose giving a limited consideration. These birds are not only remarkable for the symmetry of their forms and the beauty of their plumage, but more especially for the wonderful intelligence and instructive ingenuity which many manifest while in a state of domestication. They derive, however, much of their celebrity, from their peculiar faculty of committing and repeating words and sentences, which singular talent, with few exceptions, is confined entirely to birds of this race. The manifestations of memory in some species of this extraordinary genus is indeed surprising. By proper and assiduous attention, they have been taught, not only to repeat words, but even entire verses. this, the writer speaks from actual experience, having seen one, while in Brazil, which was able to repeat several lines of Portuguese poetry. His master had taken great pains with his education, and had frequently refused offers of large sums for his purchase. He was excessively loquacious, and his merry voice could be heard in tones of laughter and conversation from morning until night, to the great annoyance of the adults, but amusement of the juveniles, throughout his notorious neighborhood. Birds of this genus, in their natural state, are very wild, and were it not for their harsh notes and noisy chattering while feeding in their native woods, it would be exceedingly difficult for the hunter to discover their favorite haunts, on account of the general resemblance of their plumage to the emerald green foliage in which they seclude themselves.

The genus Psittacus or Parrot is very extensive, including nearly two hundred species, which have been divided into two great sections, according to the shape of their tails. The first of these consists of those having wedge-shaped tails, such as the Maccaws, Loories, and Paroquets, while the second includes those having short and

even tails, such as the 'parrots proper,' the splendid Cockatoos and beautiful Ground-Parrots of New Holland.

The majestic family of the Maccaws inhabit the recesses of the interminable forests of South America, and are quite numerous in the interior of the Guianas and Brazils. They become easily domesticated, but in this state are exceedingly mischievous, and seem to take pleasure in dissecting the different articles of furniture with their powerful beaks, with which they can even extract a firmly imbedded nail. The Red and Blue Maccaw is about three feet in length, and may be considered the most splendid of the family: his head, neck and breast are of a brilliant vermillion red; the middle wing coverts are yellow, tipped with bluish-green; the lower part of the back, upper and under tail coverts are pale azure and dark blue; while its extensive tail is composed of red and blue feathers, beautifully variegated with the different shades of each. I can never forget one noble specimen of this species, who shared with us the luxuries and delights of the Roscenia Denazere' in Brazil.

He was a gorgeous bird, and one to whom the similarity of our situation, and the delightful solitude of our charming resort, had rendered us exceedingly attached. During the day, he was accustomed to spend many of the hours in rambling through the embowered avenues of the garden, and in climbing successively the numerous fruit trees which were drooping with the weight of their golden and crimson fruit. But, ever attentive to our call, he would on such occasions immediately abandon the sweetest orange or most delicious gauva, to make his appearance before us. He was an excessively awkward bird, (but for this he was somewhat excusable, having been deprived by captivity from the refinements of social intercourse,) and by his grotesque motions he occasioned us a great deal of merriment. Whenever breakfast or other meal was ready, we were notified of this agreeable fact by the ringing of a small bell which we had procured for this purpose. On receiving this intelligence, our favorite bird, without any previous toilet preparations, would repair to the banquet table, and having stationed himself upon the back of one of the chairs, would wait patiently for the arrival of us, his humble servants. And, although it may appear rather wonderful, yet it is nevertheless a fact, and justice to his memory requires that we should state it, that while at table he always conducted himself with the greatest propriety, and never in any case made any sudden and unpremeditated attack upon the viands, which were laid out in attempting array before him. At last however our feathered companion was seized with some mysterious illness (mysterious indeed to us) for under our united efforts to save his life, he unfortunately died!

The parrot is a bird noted for longevity, and frequently attains the age of sixty and seventy years. One is mentioned by M. Le Vallant, as having lived in a state of domesticity for near ninety years. When this distinguished naturalist saw it, it was in a kind of lethargic condition, and had lost both its sight and memory. In youth, it had been celebrated for its colloquial powers, and was so docile in its

disposition as to fetch its master's slippers and call the servants whenever required. Its memory began to fail at the age of sixty.

But the most extraordinary parrot on record is one which was carried to England by Colonel O'Kelly, and which was there sold by him for a hundred guineas. This bird could express his desires in a manner nearly approaching to rationality, and was able moreover to sing several songs in excellent time and tune. It is recorded also, that if in whistling an air it accidentally passed over a note, it would revert to the bar where the oversight occurred and complete the tune with perfect accuracy. Although this account appears almost incredible, yet having procured it from a standard English work, I think it may with some leniency be relied upon.

Parrots through obstinacy sometimes refuse to eat, insomuch that instances have been known where they have actually died from selfstarvation. But those of the most stubborn nature, however, are often subdued by tobacco smoke, but this means never fails to disturb the placidity of their temper. Consequently the cure is often worse than the disease.

The remaining three divisions of the genus Psittacus, severally termed Cockatoos, Lories and Ground Parrots, are natives of NewHolland and the East-India islands. The former are distinguished by their great size and the singularity of their beautiful crests, which they are able to erect or depress at pleasure. The birds of this division do not possess the colloquial powers of the true parrot, being seldom able to acquire more than two or three words, beside their own native cry of cockatoo, from which the tribe derives its

name.

The Lories are distinguished by their slender bills, but more particularly by their bright plumage, the ground color of which is red; they are abundant in the luxuriant groves of the Moluccas and other Eastern Islands.

Although parrots are occasionally found far beyond the tropical limits, especially in the southern hemisphere, yet the equatorial regions, however, must be considered the metropolis of the family. Here they throng the magnificent forests of Africa and America, and fill every balmy grove with their shrill and discordant notes; although some species are rather coarse in plumage, and others refulgent with abruptly-contrasted colors, yet no one can behold the splendid Maccaws of Amazonia, the bright plumaged Lories, or the royal Cockatoos of New-Holland, especially in the wild woods of their native land, without acknowledging them to be among the most beautiful and striking of the feathered race.'

In the wonderful chain of animated nature, birds appear to rank next after insects, and those of the latter which are furnished with wings, resemble in many respects the minimum of the former. Any one who gives strict attention to the consideration of the myriads of insects and life-teeming atoms which surround us; which partially compose the purest element we drink and the sweetest air we breathe, cannot fail to observe a gradual chain of mental develop

ment, from the first buddings of mysterious instinct, to the sublimest genius of man.

A chain corresponding to this, and no less interesting, exists in the material world, in the connection and analogy of animated beings. How pleasing, not only to the eye of the naturalist, but to every eye which has any perception of the beautiful, is the analogy between the butterfly and humming-bird; the connecting link between the bird and insect creation! In size, the former is often superior, and in coloring sometimes more variegated, although not so exquisite or magnificent as the latter, but in their general appearance and habits there is a palpable similarity. They both frequent flowery gardens, and are occasionally seen at the same time sipping honey from the heart of some blooming rose or other fragrant flower. Indeed, so nearly allied are some of the most minute species of the hummingbird, that the ancient naturalists hardly knew whether to assign it a place among birds or insects.

The beauty of humming-birds has been highly extolled by both naturalists and poets, and well do they deserve all the praise which has been bountifully lavished upon them. They are the sportive inhabitants of the torrid zone, and are exceedingly numerous throughout the Guianas and Brazils, where they may be seen in the warm sunshine, extracting sweets from every opening flower. The splendor of their plumage is perfectly indescribable, which, while reflecting the solar rays, resembles the bright gleaming of burnished metals or precious stones; they have therefore been appropriately titled with the various names of emerald, ruby, topaz and amethystine, according to the several species. The natives of some of the islands where they abound, in the language of a beautiful metaphor, style them winged flowers;' while in Brazil they are poetically termed among the Indians, berjar fleur,' which literally interpreted, signifies, 'to kiss a flower.'

Sometimes these little ornithological gems are seen congregated together in large numbers, buzzing around and inhaling the perfumes of a blossoming tree. While so engaged they often fall an easy prey to the desires of the naturalist.

These magnificent little winged sprites are not confined entirely within the limits of the tropics, but are occasionally seen in high latitudes, sometimes even flitting about in the midst of a snow storm. Their metropolis, however, like that of the parrots, is in the warmer parts of America, where they sport in wanton mazes during the live-long day, fulfilling the object for which they were designed, in the inscrutable economy of Providence.

Only two species of this brilliant genus are found in North America: the northern' and the Nootka Sound humming-bird.' The former is a beautiful bird, and is well known throughout the United States. Wilson, the American Ornithologist, eloquently says of him : 'He is one of those few birds that are universally beloved, and amid the dewy serenity of a summer's morning, his appearance among the arbors of honey-suckles and beds of flowers is truly interesting.'

'WHEN morning dawns and the blest sun again,
Lifts his red glories from the Eastern main,

Then through our woodbines, wet with glittering dews,
The flower fed humming-bird his round pursues;
Sips, with inserted tube, the honeyed blooms,
And chirps his gratitude as round he roams,
While richest roses, though in crimson dressed,
Shrink from the splendor of his gorgeous breast;
What heavenly tints in mingling radiance fly!
Each rapid movement gives a different dye,
Like scales of varnished gold the dazzling show,
Now sink to shade, now like a furnace glow.'

Thus wrote Alexander Wilson, the father of American Ornithology; a man of genius, and possessed of the finer and nobler attributes of human nature; one who spent a great portion of his life in the forest shades, by the sparkling brook-side and on the banks of the flowing river, in the contemplation and study of Nature's animated creation; and whose name is as immortal as the noble science in whose pursuit he lived, and labored, and died.

One of his last requests was, that his body should be buried where the birds might carol over his grave, which beautiful sentiment has been happily poeticised:

The genus Trochilus includes at least one hundred and fifty distinct species. The most remarkable of these are the Paradise,' Magnificent,' 'Whiskered,' and one which, for want of another name, we have styled The Carupe Hummer.' The first of these is extremely rare, and is particularly noted for having two long tail feathers which are entirely bare, except at the tip, which is tufted. The second is probably the most splendid of the genus; it is full seven inches in length and of the most exquisite plumage that fancy can conceive. Its throat is of the richest topazine, and the lower parts of its body of brightest ruby; its back is of rufous brown and its tail coverts green with metallic reflections. It is peculiar for having two long tail feathers which very curiously cross each other. It is found along the luxuriant banks of the Amazon, and in various sections of the Guianas. The third species is a perfect little harlequin; he has been styled 'The Whiskered Hummer,' on account of his having six feathers on each side of his head, which when erected form a kind of parachute, which seems evidently designed to enable the bird to check instantaneously the velocity of its downward descent. The fourth species was found by us during our southern rambles at Carupe, an estate in the Brazilian province of Para. It is distinguished by having its bill curved upward and flat at the extremity, which fact makes it an anomaly in the race.

These little birds are sometimes agitated with the fiercest passious. They frequently assail birds of a huge size, and if disturbed during