TN WESTERN LIBERIA. 205 



in the midst of the high forest and covered with high 

 reeds, brushwood and small trees. There they alighted 

 shortly after sunset, about fifty together, fighting eagerly 

 and with a great noise for the most comfortable perches 

 not higher than 10 to 20 feet from the ground. As I 

 wished to spare this place in order to make further ob- 

 servations , I did not shoot amongst them. A few days 

 afterwards, however, a native huntsman who had found 

 the place with the aid of my boy, disturbed their nights 

 rest, and off they went for ever. Their cry is very loud 

 and resembles much the sound of a trumpet, probably on 

 account of the horn which may be used as a kind of 

 sounding board. Their food consists almost entirely of 

 palm- nuts and the fruits of several large kinds of forest- 

 trees. 



Iris red , in younger specimens brown , bill of the male 

 black , as well as the basal part of the horn , upper part 

 of the latter whitish horn-color, bill of the female enti- 

 rely horn-color , feet lead-color , bare skin round the eyes , 

 OD chin, throat and gular pouch cobalt-blue. 



Buceros atratus. 



Buceros atratus , Temm. PI. Col. 558 ; — Hartl. Orn. 

 W. Afr. p. 162; — Schl. Mus. P.-B., Buceros, p. 18; — 

 Boc. Orn. d' Angola, p. 113. 



Sphagolohus atratus, Elliot, Mon. Buc. 1882. 



Hab. West Africa , from Liberia to Angola. 



A series collected on the St. Paul's River; not observed 

 at Grand Cape Mount. 



In its habits and food not different from B. elatus , but 

 by far not as common as the latter. 



Iris brick -red , in younger specimens reddish brown , 

 bill grayish black , feet lead-color. Bare skin in male : 

 Back-side of the horn, round the eyes, chin and gular 

 pouch cobalt-blue, skin, as far as covered with feathers, 



Notes from the Leyden ]Museuzn, Vol. "VII. 



