264 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Darjiling, and its monotonous ped-peo-peo—froiin morning to night 

 is heard until the rains are over (eai-ly in October), and the young 

 birds are seen wandering about on the roadside. A Bengalee 

 name for B. asiaticus is Suttura, imitative of its loud note." 



For "the Rhamphastida" in note [p. 249], read " Eham- 

 j)hastos." In tlie allied genus Pteroglossus the nostrils are placed 

 more as in the Barbets, but not in a groove ; except in the sub- 

 group Aidacorhynchus, wherein this groove extends very far along 

 the upper mandible. 



Just as the above was going to press, we have been fortunate 

 in procuring a living specimen of Bucco i)hilippensis, caged and 

 sufficiently reconciled to confinement, which has afforded the 

 means of the following observations : — 



1. Having tied together a few of the primaries of each wing 

 to prevent its flying, the bird was placed on tlie trunk of a tree, 

 and at its base where the principal root-branches begin to spread; 

 but it manifested no disposition whatever to climb or ascend (as 

 a Wryneck does under similar circumstances). On the ground it 

 hops with facility enough, though not with the easy successive 

 hops of a Sparrow, being essentially a percher. 



2. When it was tolerably hungry, we tried it with various 

 kinds of insects, but the first which attracted its attention were 

 some small soft maggots, some of which it picked up and 

 scattered, but did not swallow one. Afterwards it seized some 

 grasslioppers and large spiders, which it held and squeezed or 

 munched for an inordinately long time within the particularly 

 firm grip of its mandibles, and then rejected, taking up another 

 which it had perhaj^s thus squeezed and mashed before. Mr. 

 Broderip's Toucan, it will be remembered, treated an unfortunate 

 Goldfinch in the same manner ; but at sight of fruit, the Barbet 

 at once left his insect victims, none of which he swallowed, 

 though certainly in want of food when these were supplied 

 him. 



