HORNBILLS. 



65 



to Moulmein from Mooleyit, when halting at Kyik, I heard by tlie merest chance 

 from the Karen villagers that a large hornbill was sitting on its nest in a tree 

 close to the village, and that for several years past the same pair of birds had 

 resorted to that spot for breeding. I accordingly lost no time in going to the place 

 the next morning, and was shown a hole higli up in the trunk of a moderately 

 large straight tree, branchless for about fifty feet from the gromid. in which I was 





TWO-HORNED HOUNBILL. 



told the female lay concealed. Tlu' hole was covered with a thick la\-fr of mud, 

 all but a small space, through Avhich slie could thrust the end of her bill, and so 

 receive food from the male. One of the villagei-s at length ascen<led with (--i-eat 

 labour by means of bamboo-pegs driven into the trunk, and commenced digfini'- 

 out the clay from the hole. While so employed, the female kept uttering her 

 rattling sonorous cries, and the male remained perched on a neighbourino- tree, 

 sometimes flying to and fro, and coming close to us. Of liim tlie natives appeared 

 to entertain great dread, saying that he was sure to assault tliem : and it was with 



VOL. IV. — 5 



