n the air, floated by, its
light feathers; that it used its shoulders for its nest; that it rested
only by hanging from a branch by its tail-filaments; that its food was
morning dew; with other reports as droll as these. There are several
kinds of Birds of Paradise, but the one in the cut is the most common,
and is that of which these fables are told."

[Illustration: TOCO TOUCAN.]

The next bird Uncle Brown showed Charley, was a very curious looking
one, named the Toco Toucan, a native of the American tropics. It has, as
you see, a monstrous sized bill, though it is not nearly so heavy, as it
looks, being mostly of a honey comb make. This bill seems to have in
it a great many nerves and so to be very sensitive, as the bird
scratches it with its foot, and also appears to enjoy holding meat and
fruits, with its tip, both of which prove the bill to have feeling in
it. It feeds on all sorts of eatable things, but is especially fond of
mice and little birds, which it kills by a strong squeeze, and then
tears to pieces and devours.

The topmost branch of a tall tree, called the Mora, when dead, is the
favorite resort of the Toucan, where it cannot be reached by the
gunner. It seems to fancy itself more beautiful, when its tail is
trimmed, and it therefore uses its beak to do this, as the barber
employs his scissors to trim our hair. When asleep, the Toucan takes
great care of its bill, covering it nicely with the back plumage, so
that the whole bird looks like a great round ball of feathers. Its body
is about eighteen inches long.

Next uncle Brown showed Charley a bird, called the Parrakeet. It was a
very pretty one, with a green body, a red bill, and a rose-colored band
round its neck, from which it is sometimes named the Rose-ringed
Parrakeet.

[Illustration: RINGED PARRAKEET.]

This bird is often tamed, and, from its gentle disposition and pleasant
ways, is a great favorite. It seems very fond of ripe walnuts halved,
and while picking out the meat, makes a little clucking noise, showing
that it is pleased.

It is soon taught to repeat words and short sentences and to speak quite
plainly. Sometimes, when angry, it screams loudly, and seems to practise
any new accomplishment when it thinks that nobody can hear it.

Another Bird, added to our Boy's Museum, was called the Brush Turkey,
because it is found mostly in the thick brush-wood of New South Wales.
The gentleman, who first made it known to the public, tells