DICHOCEROS. 71 



are incorporated seeds of the peepul-fig and bits of leaves and 

 sticks. 



" The t\vo sitting birds were captured, and the heads are easy to 

 identify with those of females of this species, the bills of the males 

 being different. Each nest contained two eggs, one set quite fresh, 

 the other on the point of hatching. They measure 2'84, 2'6, 2'4, 

 and 2-75 in length by 1/85, 1*9, 1-8, and 1/8 in breadth, respectively. 

 The shell is rough and without gloss. One egg is pure white ; two 

 others, one fresh and one incubated, are of a uniform pale yellow ; 

 and the fourth egg is white, with numerous small yellowish dots 

 where the outer shell is disintegrated. The eggs were taken on 

 the *2'2nd March." 



Major Bingham records the following from Teuasserim : " The 

 following is a detailed account of the nests of this Hornbill visited 

 and the eggs taken : Of the eight nests visited and eggs obtained 

 four contained two eggs each, and four one each. These were laid 

 in natural hollows in various trees, and two in immense Ficus- 

 eucircled old teak-trees. The height of the nest-holes from the 

 ground varied from 25 to 70 feet, and the trees selected were 

 invariably close to some Ficus in fruit. 



" To five of the nests I ascended myself, and found the opening 

 much narrowed in every one with a plastering of earth, leaf -mould, 

 and the bird's own droppings : the stench of decaying vegetable 

 matter from one or two of the nests was quite unbearable ; and 

 altogether the insides of the nests and the old hens themselves pre- 

 sented a filthy sight, but these latter were all able to fly when released 

 and did not seem a bit cramped. The way though they hissed, and 

 ([Hacked, and fought for their eggs was a caution my arms were 

 blac-k and blue from their ferocious digs and bites. In a few cases 

 the males came and looked on but took no part in the fight, not 

 even to the uttering of a croak in encouragement to their mates. 



" The colour of the egg varies, but depends, I think, more on the 

 nature of the wood of the tree chosen for the nest and the material 

 n-M-d in plastering which, by the way, is well laid on inside as well 

 as round the opening to the hollow than upon the length of time 

 tlu> eggs have been laid ; for two eggs out of the lot I procured 

 had the chicks almost ready to break through, and are yet only of 

 a dull white, but slightly stained ; while again two other eggs are 

 of the colour of iron-rust all over, and these, though undoubtedly 

 hard-set, were still easily cleaned, but they were taken out of a 

 hollow in a thingau tree, the wood of which gives off a rusty stain. 



" All the eggs have a perceptible gloss, except one. The excep- 

 tional non-glossy egg is rough, almost like sand-paper, to the touch. 

 All are very finely pitted over their whole surface, and some have 

 little raised tubercles or bumps chiefly in a zone round the centre. 

 In shape some are long and narrow and much pointed at one end, 

 some short and globular. The largest eggs were those found singly, 

 and of these one measures 2-75 x 1-98 ; the smallest taken measur- 

 ing 2-40 x 1-93 ; but the average of twelve is 2-62 by 1-88. It is 

 remarkable that even the chick in the egg has a well-marked pro- 



