PICARIAN BIRDS AND PARROTS OF CEYLON. rapa 
the secondaries are black ; the primaries are black on the 
terminal half, the basal portion being white on the inner and 
bluish-white on the outer web. Chin, throat, and middle of 
breast white, shading into rusty buff on the remainder of the 
lower parts ; under surface of tail black. 
In young birds the breast feathers have dusky black fringes. 
Bill deep coral red ; iris dark brown ; legs and feet dull red. 
Length 12; wing 5°1; tail 3°25; tarsus °6; bill from 
gape 3°0. 
Distribution.—Solitary specimens have been obtained in the 
Northern, Eastern, and Western Provinces. This species has 
been found in various localities throughout the Indian Penin- 
sula, the Ganges delta, Assam, and Burma, and ranges east- 
wards through Malaya to China and Corea. It is extremely 
rare over most of its habitat, but turns up unexpectedly all 
over India, generally near the coast, but at times far mland. 
It is common during the breeding season in Hong Kong. 
Habits, &c.—Occasionally seen by fresh water, but generally 
found on brackish lagoons and among mangrove swamps, 
where it feeds upon the crabs, which swarm in the mud. It 
may possibly be found breeding in Ceylon, as the nest has 
been taken in Travancore in February and March. ‘The nest 
is the usual hole, generally in the sandy banks of streams near 
the seashore, but occasionally on the banks of forest streams. 
The eggs are of the usual round shape and glossy texture, 
four to six in number, and measure about 1°15 by 1. 
Sub-order BUCEROTES. 
Family BuCcEROTID. 
Hornbills. 
The Hornbills are a family of large, ungainly, forest birds, 
which are found in Africa, Tropical Asia, and New Guinea. 
They derive their English name from the enormous bill, which, 
as a rule, is surmounted by a hollow or cellular horny casque. 
In some cases, however, including that of the smaller of the 
two species found in Ceylon, the casque is wanting. Other 
peculiar features are that the eyelids are furnished with 
strong lashes, while the wing lining—.e., the coverts on the 
