Some Notes on the Birds 



OF WHICH 



PHOTOGRAPHS APPEAR IN 

 THE FOREGOING PAGES . . 



W. S. BERRIDGE, KZ,S, 



TOURACOUS. 



Thick-'Bil\edTouraiCOu(TttracusMacr0rkynchus), Frontispiece, 

 and the White-Crested Touracou (Turacus corythaix), Page 

 6. The Touracous, in size about that of the common pigeon, 

 are remarkable for their beauty of colouring. The primary feathers 

 being bright red are shown in great relief against the general 

 green colour of the bird. The white-crested variety, a native of 

 Dassen Island (S. Africa), is distinguished by the tip of its crest 

 being edged with white. The thick-billed, or great-billed Touracou, 

 is frequently called by the name of Frazer's Touracou, and hails 

 from West Africa. 



HORNBILLS. 



These curious-looking birds, of which there are about 60 species, 

 are all remarkable for the enormous size of their beaks. Of their 

 breeding habits much has been written, and the manner in which 

 the entrance to their nest is plastered up with mud, leaving only 

 sufficient room for the protrusion of the hen's beak for feeding pur- 

 poses, is well known. 



Ground Hornbill (Fucorax abyssinicus), Page 7. The 

 Abyssinian Ground Hornbill is a bird of considerable size, being some 

 3$ ft. in length. It eats almost anything, devouring numbers of 

 beetles, mice, and small birds, as well as snakes, whilst in captivity 

 it will readily take to fruit and vegetables. 



Black Hornbill (Sphagolobus atratus), Page 8. This is a native 

 of West Africa, and as its name denotes, is of a black colour. It is 

 considerably smaller than the ground hornbill. 



Plicated Hornbill (Rhytidocerosfilicatus), Page 9. Often called 

 by the name of Reef-billed Hornbill, owing to the ridge-like 

 excrescences on its beak. It hails from the Malay States. 



Subcylindrical Hornb\tt(Pycam's/es subcylindrictts), Page 10. 

 This is a very scarce bird, and rarely seen in captivity. It is a 

 native of W. Africa. 



Concave Hornbill (Dichocerosbicornis), Page n. The Concave 

 Hornbill is the one most frequently seen in aviaries. The eyes of the 

 female differ from those of the male, in being of a lighter colouring. 



Elate Hornbill (Ceratogymna data), Page 12. This bird is a 

 native of the Gold Coast (Africa), where it is by no means plentiful. 



