Dec. 1847.] 331 



Bill black, with a large yellowish white spot extending from the base to 

 the middle of the upper mandible. 



Whole of the body, wings, and tail black, with a green lustre. 

 Primary and secondary quills with small white spots at their tips ; several 

 of the primaries have also small white spots on their outer webs. 



Tail very long, graduated, the two middle feathers exceeding all the others 

 by several inches ; all the tail feathers largely tipped with white. 



Total length (of skin) from tip of bill to end of tail, 2 feet 6 inches, of which 

 the tail alone measures 17 inches. 

 Hab. Western Africa. 



The specimen above described, I received several years since from Robert 

 MacDowell, M. D., surgeon, attached to the colonial government of Sierra 

 Leone, and an enthusiastic naturalist, who obtained it on the banks of the St. 

 Paul's river. 



This species resembles no other which I have seen, or of which I can find a 

 description, and may at once be recognized by its white erect crest and long 

 tail. 



For the same gentleman I have received several other specimens of this 

 genus, also from Western Africa, one of which is the Buceros elatus, Temm., 

 of which a figure of the head and bill is given in PI. Col., 521, and another 

 may be the female of the same species ; as such, however, I do not feel war- 

 ranted in describing it at present, the bills of the two specimens differing more 

 materially than I have been accustomed to seeing in the same species. 



Two crania of the Buceros elatus are in the collection of Dr. Morton, one 

 of which is undoubtedly from Western Africa. As this species appears to be 

 known only from the figure of the cranium and beak above alluded to, I take 

 the liberty of giving a description of the specimen which I suppose to be the 

 male. 



Buceros elatus, Temm. (PI. Col., 521, accuratissima figura cranii et rostri) 

 ( 5 juv. ?) Corpore et alis totis nigris, subtus pallidioribus, parvo aut nullo 

 virore metallico. 



Occipite subcristato, plumis latis, laxis et nigris. 

 Rectricibus duabus intermediis nigris ; omnibus caeteris toto albis. 

 Long. tot. exuviae, ab rostri apice usque ad caudae finem 36 pollices. 

 Hab. In Africa occidentals 



Body and wings entirely black, paler beneath, with little or no metallic 

 lustre. 



Occiput with a sub-crest of broad lax feathers, which are black. 

 Two middle tail feathers black, all the others entirely white. 

 Total length (of skin) from tip of bill to end of tail 3 feet. 

 Hab. Western Africa. 



The supposed female is very similar in the general colouring of the bodj, 

 wings and tail, with the whole head and neck rufous chestnut, which colour 

 extends to the upper part of the breast. 



