564 Mr. G. L. Bates on the Reversed [Ibis, 



large Hornbills above was found in this bird also, but they 

 were not so markedly different from the other minor 

 coverts. 



Lophoceros camurus. Two specimens examined, Nos. 

 5900 & 5908. 



No reversed under coverts, or only rudimentary ones. 

 In one specimen five, in the other two, small downy feathers 

 were found on the proximal end of the cubitus, that seemed, 

 from their situation, to be reduced reversed coverts ; but it 

 could not be determined which side was the front and which 

 the back of any of them. The minor under coverts also 

 small and downy. 



Lophoceros hartlaubi. One specimen examined. No. 5807. 

 No reversed under coverts that could be known to be 

 such. All under coverts very small. 



Ortholophus cassini. Two specimens examined, No. 5590, 

 and another not saved. 



No reversed coverts that could be determined to be such. 

 Two rows of small coverts were found on the cubitus with 

 downy vanes and peculiar broad flattened shafts, each row 

 with the feathers closer together than the remiges, and the 

 two rows very close to each other. No certain difference 

 could be seen between the two sides of these little feathers, 

 the shafts being perfectly flat, without convexity or groove — 

 or perhaps the side away from the remiges was slightly 

 convex. This fact, if it was such, and also the crowded 

 situation of these little feathers, such that they did not 

 correspond to the remiges, seemed to show them to be 

 minor coverts. 



In the Hornbills, reversed under coverts seem to be 

 either entirely wanting, or reduced to rudimentary feathers. 

 Further study with a microscope would doubtless make it 

 possible to determine the homology of the small and peculiar 

 under coverts that were found. The greatly reduced under 

 wing-coverts form but one feature of the general sparse or 

 reduced pterylosis of the Hornbills. 



