388 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUiU 



bhuin, and Sirguja, and seen it in the fine jungles which border 

 the ghat on the road from the Ranchi plateau to Purulia. 



All the specimens in my collection and in the Indian Museum 

 belong to this species, but I am by no means certain that 

 H. albirostris does not occur too. Dr. Jerdon says that the latter 

 is the species found in the Midnapore jungles in Rajmehal and 

 Monghyr. Some of the first specimens which I obtained in 

 Manbhum, and which I sent home, I identified — whether rightly 

 or wronglly cannot now say — with H. albirostris ; and moreover 

 Captain Beavan seemed to be doubtful to which species his 

 specimens should be referred. 



There is really not much difficulty* in distinguishing the two 

 species, as coronata has the three outer tail feathers on either 

 side pure white, while albirostris has the four lateral tail 

 feathers only tipped white. 



I think it not improbable that the two species meet in the 

 district of Manbhum. 



The following is from Colonel Tickell's account of this bird ; 

 his specimens from Singhbhum being undoubted coronata : — 



" These birds were very common in all the more open and 

 large timbered spaces in the jungles, frequenting in preference 

 the pepul trees, the berry of which forms their principal food. 

 The young continue with the parents for many months after 

 leaving the nest, hence these hornbills are generally met tra- 

 versing the forest in flocks of eight or ten. They are shy 

 and wary, and the voice loud, clanging and harsh. The horn 

 is not developed till after the first year, the nestlings having the 

 bill plain without any trace of excrescence. These birds are 

 never met with in the high rocky lands, nor in the barren 

 tracts of the Sal jungle, but abound in the rich meadows com- 

 posing the valley of the Subanrika, where the country in many 

 parts has the appearance of a well-cultured English park/' 



The following are the measurements of specimens in my 

 collection : — 



Sirguja g Wing 11- 25; Tail 12; Tarsus 2-2; Bill from gape 6'2. 

 „ ?? „ 12-5 „ 12-8 „ 2-3 „ „ „ 6-2. 



55.— Meniceros (Ocyceros) ginginianus, 

 Shaw. (144.) 



The Common Grey Hornbill is met with occasionally on the 

 borders of heavy jungle and in open parts of the country where 

 mhowa trees abound. 



* The casques are of utterly different shapes. — Ed. , S. F. 



