49
The Toucan.
(Rhamphastus toco.)
The brilliantly-coloured beak of the Toucan is so absurdly large that it is astonishing to watch the lightness and grace of its flight, for one naturally expects him to be over balanced by its weight. The upper mandible is however, a thin, hollow shell supported internally by a number of struts, and is quite light. The Toucan lives upon fruit and seeds, smaller birds, insects and eggs. Some naturalists consider that the huge toothed beak is designed to give additional power of mastication, the digestive organs being unusually simple in structure, while others regard it as a contrivance enabling the bird to reach and devour fruit while remaining perched.