OR INDIAN BUCEROS. 12$ 



have been gratified in the enquiries I made respecting 

 the oeconomy of this extraordinary bird ; but the 

 people I had to deal with were poor ignorant folk, 

 from whom I could gain but little information : I 

 therefore can do little more than ascertain one curious 

 fact, and display some qualities of the bird, which 

 may hereafter be of benefit, if thoroughly investigated 

 by some person of medical' skill. 



These birds have a most remarkable appearance 

 when in the act of flying, from the great size of their 

 beaks, and length of tail. I have seen several of them 

 in this state ; and a more uncouth object I never be- 

 held. The beak, which forms the most prominent 

 feature in this strange bird, may be considered as one 

 of the most uncommonly curious among the fea:hered 

 tribe. The Toucan, the Spoonbill, the Pelican, the 

 Dodo, and others, certainly claim the attention of the 

 naturalist; but in my humble opinion the Bregma has 

 merits far superior, on the ground of rarity. The 

 largest beak I ever saw was produced from a bird shoe 

 :it a place called Kullar, about nine miles from MUna- 

 pore. The following is the measurement : 



Length of the beak in a straight line from its junc- Inches. 



lion with the head - - - S£ 



Length of the horn from the base to the point - 8§ 



Depth ot the whole beak, including the horn, near 4 \ 



The horn to its junction with the upper mandible - 2 \ 



Kach mandible in the centre of the beak - 1 

 Distance from the point of the horn to the point of the beak 3 



It may be proper to observe here, that the beak 

 forms a much greater curve than the horn, the point 



of 



