HOENBILLS. 



67 



puppies, and accompanied at intervals by a flapping and raising of the wings 

 and an alternate lowering and erecting of the head." The yellow-billed hornbill is 

 about 21 inches in length, and has a tail about 9 inches long. It is easily dis- 

 tinguished by its yellow bill and by the feathers on the chest being white edged 

 with black. It is found all over South Africa. Another species of Lophoceros, 

 namely, the South- African grey hornbill {L. epirhinus), is easily recognised by the 

 pale buff" line down the centre of the back, and by having white shafts to the 





'^l^'XfWm 



YELLOW-BILLED HORNBILL. 



central pair of tail-feathers ; the head and neck are grey, with a broad white 

 eyebrow; the beak is brown, and the quills are tipped with white; the under 

 surface of the body is white, with the chest brownish grey. Length, 20 inches ; 

 wing, 9 inches. This species, Mr. Ayres says, is a great fruit-eater, and lives in 

 small companies. He states that he was once much surprised to hear one 

 of these birds, perched on the top of a small tree, singing very prettily with the 

 voice of a thrush. " I could scarcely believe my ears," he observes, " until I had 

 watched the bird for a considerable time ; at last he flew away, and the woods were 



