Birds of the Indian HilU 



THE BUCEROTID^ OR HORNBILL FAMILY 



Hornbills are to be numbered among the 

 curiosities of nature. They are characterised 

 by the disproportionately large beak. In some 

 species this is nearly a foot in length. The 

 beak has on the upper mandible an excrescence 

 which in some species is nearly as large as the 

 bill itself. The nesting habits are not less 

 curious than the structure of hornbills. The 

 eggs are laid in a cavity of a tree. The hen 

 alone sits. When she has entered the hole she 

 and the cock plaster up the orifice until it is 

 only just large enough to allow the insertion of 

 the hornbiirs beak. The cock feeds the sitting 

 hen during the whole period of her voluntary 

 incarceration. 



Several species of hornbills dwell in the 

 forests at the foot of the Himalayas, but only 

 one species is likely to be found at elevations 

 above 5000 feet. This is the rufous-necked 

 hornbill. 



79. Acer os nefalensis. The rufous-necked 

 hornbill. In this species the casque or excres- 

 cence on the upper mandible is very slight. It 

 is a large bird 4 feet long, with a tail of 1 8 inches 



and a beak of 8 J inches. The hen is wholly 

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