The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-02-18


your Small CompanLon.
The toucan is bird known to few
men, but when once seen IL is apt soon
to be forgotten. Nature, in making
the toucan, seems to have started out
to SEQ how much bill she could make
one bird carry. Having achieved a
very remarkable success, she has at
tached to the beak small body, Just
big enough 10 hold it. and then, appar-
rently seized with remorse. has done all
she could to make atonement by lavish
ing on the toucan's diminutive frame
the brightest and most fantastic colors
on her palette. In a dingy little store
in Roosevelt street lives big toucan
who is not happy for all his gaudiness.
Cruel science, taking advantage of his
captivity, has named him Rhamphas-
tos erythorynchus. This name is writ
ten on the toucan's cage, and, added
to the weight of his bill, it seems TO
have been too much for him. Ever
since he came to this town from his
native place, in the hottest part of
Mexico, he has been down-hearted aud
miserable, resting his beak YEARLY on
u,
and refusing to eat except when he
feels ravenously hungry. Nothing
could be more interesting than study
of the satanic method invented by this
toucan for giving vent to his feelings.
1t was explained and illustrated yester-
day by yellow-haired boy, who has q
friendly feeling for the bird despite the
latter's evil disposition.
In the cage with the big toucan lives
smaller toucan, who seems to be of Il
gayer disposition and disposed to take
life more cheerfully if it could. He is
very small, but his bill is enormous,
and that is his only safeguard. When
the big toucan gets homesick or fancies
that the neighboring parrot, whose
language he does not understand. is
ridiculing his Latin name with unusual
bitterness, his eye assumes wicked
expression, and he watches his youth
fui companion intently. OF course
that naturally gay young bird can not
be constantly suspecting evil, and
sooner or later he is bound TO turn his
back to the big toucan. That is the
opportunity sought for. The big bird
opens his large bill, and quietly in
CULTS all that ne can possibly hold of
his companion. If the small one is
taken unawares, his entire body usual
ly disappears, with considerable part
of his beak. If he is quick and opens
wide his bill before being swallowed,
then only his body can be taken in,
and he has the pleasure of utterly baf-
fling his foe. For the buring ambition
of the big toucan seems to be TO swal-
low his companion bill and all. Every
time he makes q most praiseworthy eff
fort TO accomplish his end, and when
he sees that it's impossible he holds the
small bird prisoner until he is very
tired, and then reluctantly allows him
TO escape.
The yellow-haired boy told this with
a candor and simplicity that ought to
have carried conviction. But his nearer
showed incredulity. This grieved him.
Como here" he said, "and FL
show YOU"
He led the way to the toucan's cage,
and did all he could for few minutes
to make the toucan's life bitter. He
called him names, ratified his cage,
pulled his bill, and was at last reward.
ed by seeing \ yearning look for re-
venge light up the toucan's eye. The
little toucan was hopping about glee-
fully, greatly enjoying the fun and
wagging his bill in great mirth, when
he was suddenly seized by the tail and
encompassed as has been described. A
look of patient resignation appeared
in the eye of the little toucan. He
opened wide his bill to keep from be-
ing surrounded TOO extensively, and
kept it open, until he was at last re-
luctantly dropped and allowed to go
in peace.
''lt's funny thing" the yellow.
haired boy observed. "but there doesn't
seem to be any bad blood between
those two toucans. The big fellow
never tries to hurt the little chap, and
the little chap never tries TO get
even. i guess the big fellow thinks it
would relieve his feelings if lie could
swallow the other one, and he has
made up his mind TO do it. Tha little
enc has made up his mind just the
ether way, and it is tussle between
them. At first, though, before he
learned that trick of opening his
mouth, the little fellow used TO have
hard times. The big one would strug-
gle until he almost succeeded in swal-
lowing the little one. That must have
been an awful sensation, and then
there was the unpleasant feeling of
having his breath almost squeezed out
l think that young toucan has the most
to complain of, but he is growing all
the while, and will soon be as big as
the other. 1t will be fun, when both
are big, to see them watching for q
chance to swallow what they can or
each other. We ask $50 a pair fof
them. That is very cheap; but they
can't sing, and only attract those who