1 . 1897. EAST AFRICAN COLLECTION OF BIRDS ELLIOT. 53 



This Hornbill and the next species were very common every 

 where we traveled. It is a noisy bird, and without its voice atten- 

 tion would be attracted to it by the white and black hues of the 

 plumage, which make it a very conspicuous object when on the 

 wing. It flies low, by repeated flappings and sailings, and when 

 about to alight upon some tree, lowers its flight just before reach- 

 ing its goal, and then rises in a graceful curve to the desired perch. 

 I only brought the two specimens back, and I regret that more 

 were not preserved, as they seem to throw a considerable doubt 

 upon the validity of L. medianus, Sharpe. I compared my exam- 

 ples with Sharpe's type, and came to the conclusion that his bird 

 was only a female of L. erythrorhynchus, and agreed in every 

 respect with my female specimen. Dr. Sharpe compared his 

 bird with L. damarensis, Shelley, but the character he gives, viz. : 

 the gray of the crown coming down almost to the base of the 

 bill, is- one belonging to L. erythrorhynchus. I was quite unable 

 to distinguish any difference between L. medianus and the present 

 species, and have therefore included it among the synonyms 

 given above. 



84. Lophoceros flavirostris. 



Buceros flavirostris. Riipp, Faun. Abyss. Vogel, p. 6, pi. n, 

 fig 2 (1835). 



Lophoceros flavirostris. Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. , 

 Vol. XVII, p. 412 (1892). Sharpe, P. Z. S., p. 499 (1895). 



$ $ Hullier. Bill golden yellow. Iris cream color. Throat 

 bluish-white shading into blue, then to a light purple. 



9 Hullier. Bill golden yellow. Iris cream color. Throat 

 black. 



Like the preceding species, the present one was met with 

 everywhere, and was even more common than its relative. The 

 habits of these two forms did not appear to differ in any way, 

 and the flight was very similar. These birds are one of the char- 

 acteristic features of the landscape, especially noticeable even in 

 a country which in many parts was fairly alive with feathered 

 creatures. 



FAM. UPUPID.E. 



85. Upupa somalensis. 



Upupa epops senegalensis. (nee Sw.); Shelley, Ibis, p. 397 



