BUCEROTID] LOPHOCEROS 113 



probable, therefore, that after the female has been released from 

 her imprisonment the young birds are again sealed up and fed by 



both parents until they are able to take care of themselves. 







429. Lophoceros monteiri. Monteiro's Hornbill. 



Toccus monteiri, Hartlaub, P. Z. S. 1865, p. 87, pi. 5 ; Gurney in 

 Andersson' s B. Damaraland, p. 208 (1872) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's 

 B. S. Afr. p. 129 (1875) ; Elliot, Monog. Bucerot. pi. 53 (1877). 



Lophoceros monteiri, Shelley, Ibis, 1888, p. 62; Grant, Cat. B. M. 

 xvii, p. 403 (1892) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 114 (1896). 



Description. Adult male. Head, neck, throat and breast ashy- 

 black, slightly marked with white streaks on the occiput, and with 

 black centres to the feathers on the neck and breast ; mantle, back, 

 inner secondaries and wing-coverts brown, most of the latter 

 with rounded spots at the tips of the feathers giving the wings 

 a variegated appearance ; primary quills black with a few spots 

 of white, outer secondaries white ; the two pairs of central tail- 

 feathers dark ashy-black, the next pair white with black bases, the 

 two outer pairs wholly white ; below, from the breast downwards, 

 white. 



Bill long and much curved, without definite indication of a 

 casque, yellowish-red, darkest towards the extremities of the 

 mandibles which are dark purple ; iris nut-brown ; legs and feet 

 brown-horn. 



Length about 26; wing 8-5; tail 9-5; culmen 5-0 ; tarsus 1-9. 

 The female resembles the male but is distinguished by its much 

 smaller beak, measuring 3-5 to 4'0 along the culmen. 



Distribution. This Hornbill was first obtained by Monteiro in 

 Benguela, whence it extends south of the Cunene into Damaraland, 

 where, however, it is not very common according to Andersson. 

 Definite localities are Otjimbinque (Andersson in Bt. Mus.), and 

 Omaruru in Ovampoland in February and November (Eriksson in 

 S. A. Mus.). 



Habits. Mr. Andersson gives the following account. "This 

 bird is usually seen in pairs ; but occasionally half a dozen indi- 

 viduals may be found in close proximity to one another. It is a 

 shy and wary bird, and difficult to approach, except on hot days, 

 when it appears to suffer a good deal from the heat. About 8 or 

 9 o'clock in the morning it may often be observed quietly resting on 

 the top of a tree ; and it will also perch in such situations at other 

 8 VOL. in. 



