EPIMACHUS ALBUS ; HORNBILLS. 



431) 



The species here figured belongs to a group of birds evidently re- 

 lated to the Birds of Paradise, and inhabiting the same countries, 





FlG. 239. EriMACHL'S ALBUS. 



They are, however, placed by many modern authors with the 

 Hoopoes ( 418) amongst the Tenuirostral Birds, and they clearly 

 indicate a close alliance between the Paradiseida and those birds. 

 397. The last family of the Conirostres is that of BUCERID^E, 

 or Hornbills ; which is remarkable for the very large size of the 

 beak, and also for an extraordinary protuberance with which 

 this is generally surmounted. The beak is arched, and some- 

 times toothed at the edges : and when, as is sometimes the 

 case, the protuberance is wanting, the upper mandible itself 

 appears as if swollen or inflated with air. The form of the 

 excrescence varies much with age ; and in very young indivi- 

 duals there is no trace of it. When cut across, it is found to 

 consist of a very loose bony substance ; its interior being tra- 

 versed in every direction by osseous fibres, the interspaces 



