WHITE-BEAKED HOUNBILL. 15 



of the rest of the casque, and even more solid, since 

 on the other parts it yields to the pressure of the 

 fingers: these two characters therefore evidently 

 prove that these birds form two distinct species. 

 The feathers of the hindhead are long, slender, 

 loose-webbed, and form a pendent crest of a black 

 colour, as are also the neck, shoulders, back, sea- 

 pulars, wings, and tail ; the latter and the wing- 

 coverts exhibiting a greenish gloss: the wings and 

 side-feathers of the tail are tipped with white, the 

 two middle tail-feathers being totally black: the 

 breast, belly, sides, thighs, and vent-feathers are 

 white: the legs and claws black: the orbits of the 

 eyes, and the base of the lower mandible are sur- 

 rounded by a bare skin, which in the dried bird is 

 of a brownish colour: the upper eyelids are ciliated, 

 and the nostrils covered with hairs rising over the 

 edge of the casque." 



Monsr. Levaillant received no account of the 

 manners of this bird, but considers the above de- 

 scription fully sufficient to prevent its being con- 

 founded with the preceding species. 



