326 AVES. 



The tarsus also is higher, and the tail not so short. They feed on 

 flies and build on the ground.(l) 



We terminate the history of this order with the most singular 

 of its genera, a genus which has not as much resemblance to the 

 other Syndactyly as they have to each other, and one which may very 

 properly be made to form a particular family. It is the 



BucEROS; Lin. 



The Hornbills are large birds of Africa and India, whose enormous 

 dentatedbeak is studded with excrescences which sometimes equal 

 in size the beak itself, and which are always of considerable ex- 

 tent above. This renders them very remarkable, and allies them 

 to the Toucans, while, at the same time, their carriage and habits 

 approximate them to the Crows, and their feet to the Bee-eaters 

 and the Kingfishers. The shape of these excrescences on the beak 

 varies with age, and in the very young bird they are not even visi- 

 ble; the interior is generally cellular. The sternum is slightly emar- 

 ginated behind, on both sides. The tongue is small and placed at 

 the bottom of the throat; they live on all sorts of food, eat soft fruits, 

 hunt mice, small birds, reptiles, and do not even despise carrion.(2) 



(1) Todus viridis, Enl. 585, 1 and 2, and Vielll. Gal. 124; T. cceruleus, Enl. 



783, I. 



Authors have very improperly placed among the Todies, true Muscipetse, with 

 an emarginated beak and the external toe free, such as the Todus regius, Enl. 

 289; par adisceiis, lb., 234;lcucocephalus, Pall. Spic, VI, iii, 2; the two Pla- 

 txuhinci of Desmarets, which are the Tod.rostratusa.nd nasutus of Sh^w, or Tod. 

 plaiyrhynchos and macrorhynchos, Gm. Vieill., gives the first. Gal. 126. 



(2) HoRNBiLi-s wiTU EXCKESCENCES. Buc. rhinoccros, Enl. 934, Vaill. Callaos, 

 1 and 2; B. africanus, Vaill., pi. 17, f 2, may be a mere variety from age; niger, 

 Vaill., 13, according to Tern, is a badly preserved specimen of the same; mono- 

 ceros, Sh. Enl. 873; Vaill. 9, 10, H, 12; cassidix, Temm. Col. 210; malabaricus. 

 Lath. VI, ii, ovalbirostris, Sh.; Vaill. Col. 14; hiccinator, T. Col. 2M;gingianus, 

 Sonn. Voy. II, pi. cxxi; Vaill., 15; bicornis, Vaill. 7, the adult female; cavatus. 

 Id. 4, is the male at a middle age. The pi. 3 and 5 are altered specimens of the 

 same. B. hydrocorax, Enl. 282, the young bird; Col. 283, the adult; violaceus. 

 Id. 19; abyssintcus, Bn\. 779, the middle age; Vaill. Afr. 230, 231, the adult; 

 Vieill. Gal. 191; sukaius, T. Col. 69 ,pa7iaycnsis, Enl. 780, the female, and 781 

 :the old male; Vaill. Col. 16, 17, 18; manilknsis, Enl. 891, should be the young 



bird;-r/ascm<ws, Vaill. Afr. 2oo;exaratus, T. Col. 211. 



Hornbills without excrescences. B. javanicus, Vaill. Cal. 22, the young 

 .male; Afr. 239, the old male, same as the Cal. de Waidjiou, Labill. Voy., B. undu- 



latus, Vaill. Cal. 20 and 21, are females of the same; B. eryfhrorhynchos, Enl. 260; 



VaiU. Afr. 238, the young one; hastatus, Cuv. ! Enl. 890, Vaill. 236, 237;coro- 

 jnatus, VailL Afr. 234, 235; bengalensis, Cal. 23. 



