Another proof of the good sense of the toucan is furnished by his
always sitting and flying with his head to the wind when it blows
hard--for the reason, that, if he presented the broadside of his
proboscis to the gale, it would bother him to keep himself from being
completely blown away. Beside this proof of his sagacity, I may
add, that the toucan holds the monkeys, who are very abundant and
troublesome in his country, in great detestation; and well he may, for
the monkey is fond of birds’ eggs, and is a great robber of birds’
nests. Now the toucan likes eggs himself, and the plundering monkey
often deprives the toucan of his breakfast, by getting at the nest
first. It is not wonderful that squabbles often ensue between these
rival thieves--for two of a trade can never agree, you know. Of course,
the robbers care as little for the poor bird that is robbed, as lawyers
for their clients--but they think a great deal of themselves, and when
interest is touched, they resent it manfully. There is something in
a monkey and a toucan over a bird’s nest that seems like two lawyers
over a case. Their mutual object is to eat up the eggs, but it makes a
mighty difference which gets them. If the monkey gets the case, toucan
gives him a tweak with his enormous bill, which gripes like a pair of
tongs. If toucan gets the case, monkey slaps him across his beak with
the palm of his hand, and often with such force as to make toucan
scream outright. It must be admitted that if toucan has a large bill to
bite with, he also presents an ample mark for the revenge of monkey.
Whether these squabbles show the good sense of toucan, I will not
decide, but he can plead the example of one of the learned professions,
that of the law, which ranks among the first in society, and exerts
more influence over mankind than all others put together.
Another evidence of toucan’s good sense is this,--that he eats
everything he likes, if it suits his constitution. There is a delicious
little fruit in his native clime, called toucan-berry, which is good
for his health, so he feasts upon it when he can get it. He also eats
eggs, as I have said; and, in short, he diversifies, and amplifies his
pleasures, like civilized men, by fruit, flesh, fowl, or vegetable, if
it agrees with him.
I do not know that I need to say more at present, than that toucan does
not choose to take the trouble of making nests of stems and twigs, like
some other birds, but selects his dwelling in the holes of trees, so
that he may have a roof to shelter him from the storm--a preference
which again marks his civilization.
[Illustration: THE NEWFOUNDLAND DOG.]
The Newfoundland Dog.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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