592 Descriptions of the Groups of Birds 



stance if a dead mouse were offered to it. This it would 

 swallow entire, after squeezing it twice or thrice with the bill : 

 and no castings were noticed. Petiver, however, has borne 

 testimony to its regurgitating habits. 1 '* Le Vaillant was of 

 opinion that the hornbills are not naturally vegetable feeders, 

 even in part : and he remarks their deficiency of intelligence, 

 wherein they accord with the great majority of other Strepi- 

 tores. 



But little can now be added to the excellent general de- 

 scription which Le Vaillant prefixed to his monograph of 

 this group of birds. They are undoubtedly very miscellane- 

 ous feeders, as regards animal nourishment ; and are rather 

 celebrated for their skill in discovering snakes, on the eggs of 

 which, as well as on birds' eggs, and even fish, they have been 

 described to feed : and it is said that on passing over a spot 

 where one of these reptiles has concealed itself, the hornbill 

 immediately begins digging, till it has uncovered it,t — most 

 probably assisting to burrow with its feet. They are known 

 likewise to prey on small mammalians, weakly birds, and in- 

 sects ; and do not hesitate to feed on carrion and garbage, 

 ranking among the numerous scavengers of the torrid regions 

 which they inhabit. Le Vaillant relates, of the small Cape 

 species, that he saw one day a flock of more than five hun- 

 dred of them, assembling with crows and vultures, preying on 

 the remains of slaughtered elephants : at other times, he says, 

 they are to be found in woods, perching on high withered 

 trees. The larger species are excessively wary birds, and 

 consequently very difficult of approach, which more than their 

 rarity has impeded the study of their economy : they all pre- 

 fer to sit on the exposed dead branches of trees, where their 

 vision can command a wide range, to those which are clad in 

 foliage. Their flight is steady, with little movement of the 

 wings, and is compared by Dr. Smith to that of a crow : and 

 on the ground they advance by a leaping mode of progres- 

 sion, assisted by the wings. They breed in the hollows of 

 decayed trees, and produce generally four rounded white eggs. 



The geographic range of the hornbills extends along Asia 

 southward of the Himmalayas, the islands of the Indian 

 ocean, and Africa. There are none in Europe, nor in what 

 may be termed the European region of Asia ; though one if 

 not more exists on the southern slopes of the Himmalaya 

 mountains. They are likewise absent from Australia. 



It is said that, on account of the shortness of the tongue, 



*' Zoological Proceedings,' iii. p. 103. 

 f Stanley's ' Familiar History of Birds,' ii. 212. 



