— 98 - 



The cobalt-blue band close to the tips of the outer rectri- 

 ces is indistinct in two of the specimens but in another two it is 

 broader and attains its greatest breadth in the middle (missing 

 in the two black ones). 



Iridescotfee-brown; bill yellow; legs greenish-grey — dirty green. 



The young bird is brownish -black on the upper surface, 

 and all the feathers of the lower surface are tipped with light 

 blue. Of the other rectrices, some are brown, others blue, such 

 as Z e d 1 i tz (Journ. f. Orn. 1915, p. 23) gives for E. afer suahe- 

 licus Neum. The primaries are only dark cobalt- blue, almost 

 black, the edges of the outer-web and the cobalt-blue band close 

 to the black tips of the rectrices is very indistinct. 



Bucerotidae. 



Bycanisies suhcyUndricus (Scl.). — Rchw. II. p. 241. 

 1 (5 ad. 8. 7.; 1 g ad. 8. 7.; 3 Q9 juv. 21.— 23. 7. Mount Elgon. 



This interesting hornbill was found in fairly large numbers 

 on the eastern slopes of Elgon, from an altitude of 6 800 ft. up 

 to 8.500 ft. During the day small flocks of from 4 to 6 in 

 number were continually seen flying across the tree-tops of the 

 forests with heavy, rumbling strokes of the wings, incessantly 

 uttering their shrill, dull, hollow cry, "go-ork, goork". Very seld- 

 om was I able to get within range, for they are among the 

 most viligant and cautious birds of the forest, which, as soon as 

 they have a presentiment of anything suspicious, at once get to 

 a place of safety. Whenever they were seen at rest they sat 

 out of range on the top -most branches of the tallest giants of 

 the forest. 



But early one morning I stood concealed at the foot of a 

 forest tree waiting for monkeys, when all of a sudden three of 

 these large hornbills perched in my vicinity. Within a short 

 while others came and perched on the branches of the trees 

 close by and after a few minutes another flock arrived. At last 

 some twenty had gathered and now began such a clamour and 

 noise as can scarcely be described. Above me were two, screa- 

 ming their hoarse cries, and from all directions the forest 

 resounded with their dift'erent voices. The whole thing gave one 

 the impression of a "gossip" meeting, where each one endeavoured 

 to drown his neighbours voice. 



What such a morning meeting really means is difficult to 

 decide, Later on, I had the pleasure of being present at these 



