iO.2 Mr. iB. Alexander — An Ornithological 



lo\c-crics. vhicli I cauiiot do better than liken to the 

 "chucking" notes of an amorous farmyard cock. Further- 

 more, these notes are ventriloquial, for at times it is puzzling 

 to discover the whereabouts of the utterer. The bird has a 

 characteristic flight. A few rapid beats of the pinions, and 

 then follows a long glide through the air, without the slightest 

 motion of the wings; but should an object arouse the 

 suspicion of the bird, the wings are again rapidly beaten and 

 a vertical soar upward is often perfornud. An observer can 

 always tell exactly for which tree the l)ird is making, though 

 a considerable distance may intervene, since a direct bee-line 

 is invariably taken, ^yhen alighting on a tree, its heavy 

 bill appears to make it top-heavy, for the bird almost 

 topples over, the tail at the same time assuming a vertical 

 position, the next moment to be sharply brought down, 

 whereby equilibrium is regained. As it sits on the knotty 

 bough of some leafless baobab-tree it looks indeed comical, 

 all bill, neck, and tail, with a body no larger than our Black- 

 bird's, reminding one forcibly of the hieroglyphics of ancient 

 Egypt. 



This Hornbill does a great deal of good, inasmuch as its 

 principal food consists of locusts and injurious beetles. The 

 gizzards of many we dissected were crammed full of these 

 insects. 



Adult S. Total length (measured in flesh) 20 inches, 

 wdng 7. Iris pale lemon-yellow ; bill dark claret-colour, 

 almost black at base of lower mandible ; legs and feet 

 brown. 



Adult ? . Total length (measured in flesh) 19'5 inches, 

 wing 6*7. Colours as in male. 



144. LoPHOCEROS LEUCOMELAS (Licht.) . 



A rather scarce bird. 



Adidt S . Total length (measured in flesh) li)65 inches 

 wing 7'6. Bill orange-yellow; end of bill and cutting-edge 

 of mandibles reddish black; legs and feet dark brown; iris 

 lemon-yellow. 



Adult ? . Total length (measured in flesh) 17*8 inches 

 wing 6' 7. Colours as in male. 



