THE TUNCÀ.
The tuncà is remarkable on account of its bill, which is as long as its whole body, is as light as paper, of a citron colour, marked at the extremity with a red line, and a black spot, and denticulated at the edges. It has a very long tongue, and rather large eyes, surrounded by a circle of green, and another larger one of yellow. Its feathers are, for the most part, black, except on the neck, which is white, and the tail, which is beautifully red at the extremity; but some are blue instead of black. It is about the size of a pigeon. The tuncà is called by some, the preacher bird, I believe on account of the loudness of its voice. You will scarce ever see this bird in company with any other. It feeds on the ripe seeds of the tree caà, but as those seeds are too glutinous to be digested, it voids them whole, and they produce new trees, and in time woods, to the great profit of the inhabitants. I knew a Yaaucaniga Abipon, who, when going to fight, always tied the huge beak of a tuncà to his nose, in order to render himself more terrible to the enemy.