An Orniihological Expedition to the Zambesi River. 549 



destroyed, the nest is never re-occupied by other pairs. An 

 interesting incident was observed while on Mount Dulit. 

 Espying on a tree the external signs of a HornbilPs nest, and 

 a male Buceros rhinoceros perched close by, I shot the male, 

 and while waiting for my Dyak collectors to make a ladder up 

 the tree to secure the female, I observed several young male 

 birds fly to the nest and assiduously ply the bereaved widow 

 with food, a fact which seems to indicate a competition in 

 the matrimonial market of the bird-world as severe as that 

 among human beings. It is no easy matter to procure 

 embryos or nestlings of Hornbills, for the natives are inordi- 

 nately fond of both as articles of diet, and, further, are always 

 anxious to secure the tail-feathers of the adults to adorn 

 their war-coats and hats. The native method of catching 

 the female during incubation is ingenious, though decidedly 

 brutal. The tree is scaled, the resin-like substance is broken 

 away, and the frightened bird flies from her nest up the 

 hollow trunk of the tree, but is ignominiously brought down 

 by means of a thorny stick (the thorns pointed downward), 

 which is thrust after her and twisted about until a firm grip 

 in her plumage and flesh is obtained. The Dyaks, never 

 very faithful observers of nature, believe that the female is 

 shut up by the male so that, after hatching out her eggs, she 

 may die, the maggots in her putrefying body affording food 

 for the young. One very curious habit of Buceros rhino- 

 ceros, which I have not hitherto seen noted, is the rapid 

 jumping up and down on a branch with both feet together. 

 This jumping motion is imitated by the Kyans and Dyaks in 

 their dances, the figure being known to the Kyans as " wan 

 blingong." 



XLVI.— -4« Ornithological Expedition to the Zambesi River. 

 By Boyd Alexander, F.Z.S. 

 (Plate XI.) 

 With the intention of investigating thoroughly the ornitho- 

 logy of the Zambesi region, we set out from Chindi on 

 July 18, 1898, in one of the river steamers, which was to 



SER. VII. VOL. V. 2 P 



