104 BUCEROTIDiE BUCORAX 



reaching the extreme northern part of Damaraland. Beyond our 

 limits it occurs in Angola, Nyasaland and German east Africa, 

 its place being taken in Abyssinia and West Africa by another 

 species. 



The following are recorded localities : Cape Colony — Stocken- 

 stroom (S. A. Mus.), East London (Eickards), Old Morley in 

 Tembuland (egg, Bowker, S. A. Mus.) ; Natal— Ifafa (Woodward), 

 Pinetowu, Balgowan near Maritzburg and Barw^on near Verulam 

 (Stark) ; Zululand (Brit. Mus.) ; Transvaal — Lydenburg (Kirby), 

 Limpopo river (Ayres) ; Ehodesia — rare in Mashonaland (Marshall) ; 

 Portuguese east Africa — near Beira (Zool. Gardens), Zambesi Valley 

 (Kirk and Alexander) ; German south-west Africa — Ondonga and 

 near Okavango river (Andersson). 



Habits. — These very curious birds go in small troops of from six 

 to eight individuals ; they feed entirely on the ground and move 

 about over open country as a rule, though sometimes found in 

 bush. Unlike other hornbills they walk and do not hop, and when 

 pressed at all can run at a very good pace. Occasionally when 

 flushed they take to flight, but seldom for further than half a mile 

 or so when they generally take refuge in cover, sometimes perching 

 on the branch of a tree. They roost at night in trees. A favourite 

 resort is a patch of burnt ground ; there with their long beaks they 

 turn up the sods in search of insects and grubs : having found a 

 dainty morsel they take it between the tips of their mandibles and 

 toss it up in the air, catcbing it again and swallowing it immediately. 

 They also kill and eat snakes, frogs, lizards, tortoises, I'ats and mice. 

 I have not seen them kill a snake in the dramatic fashion described 

 by Mr. Ayres ("Ibis," 1861, p. 132); but at all times when they 

 have secured a choice morsel they will stretch out their wings, 

 jump about and give vent to their broming sound. Mr. x\yres' often 

 quoted account is as follows : — " On discovering a snake, three or 

 four of the birds will advance sideways towards it, with their wings 

 stretched out, and with their quills flap at and irritate the snake 

 till he seizes them by the wing-feathers, when they immediately 

 close all round and give him violent pecks with their long sharp 

 bills, quickly withdrawing again when the snake leaves his hold. 

 This they repeat till the snake is dead. If the reptile advances 

 on them, they place both wings in front of them, completely 

 covering their heads and most vulnerable parts." When the snake 

 is dead they proceed to bite it with their two mandibles throughout 

 its whole length, probably dislocating the whole of the snake's 



