BIRDS OF TENASSEMM. 99 



[This species is usually found singly or in pairs, occasional- 

 ly in parties, but this is not very often, except in the 

 mornings and evenings, when they, in common with other 

 species of birds, frequent certain fruit-bearing trees to feed. 

 As far as I can judge this species eats nothing but fruit ; nothing 

 but fruit was ever found in the stomachs of any of my numer- 

 ous specimens. 



Their note is a hoarse sort of bark, which can be heard at 

 a great distance ; their flight consists of alternate flappings 

 and sailings, the wings producing a loud noise. 



As already noticed (S. F., III., p. 414,) the irides of the two 

 sexes differ in color, that of the female being opalescent 

 white, and that of the male, deep red. — W. D.] 



The skins of all Hornbills, but especially of these large 

 ones, are everywhere separated from the muscles of the body 

 by a deep stratum of air cells, so much so that the body of the 

 bird comes out of the skin almost as easily as the fruit portion 

 does out of the riud in a loose-skinned orange. 



At Malewoon Davison shot a specimen of this present 

 species from the top of a ravine, at the bottom of which ran 

 a shallow stream ; the bird falling from a height of about 80 

 yards flat on its breast on to the surface of the water, the entire 

 skin was split from the base of the throat to near the vent — 

 a thing which could only have happened in a loose-skinned 

 bird like this. 



Davison measured a number of specimens in the flesh, chiefly 

 from the southern extremity of the province, and it is 

 notable that these southern birds do seem to run smaller than 

 Himalayan examples, and even than those from the extreme 

 south of India. (See further S. F., IV., pp. 385-6.) 



The following are dimensions, &c, recorded in the flesh : — 

 Males.— Length, 45 to 4-7-0; expanse, 63 to 66'Ojtail from 

 vent, 15-5 to 1675 j wing, 18-25 to 19-0; tarsus, 273 to 3-0; 

 bill from gape, 975 to 106 ; weight, 6*25 to 7-Olbs. 



Females. — Length, 41-75 to 44; expanse, 54 to 59-28; tail 

 from vent, 14-5 to 17-75 ; wing, 17-25 to 18-25 ; tarsus, 245 to 

 2-75 ; bill from gape, 8'25 to 9'0 ; weight, 4*5 to 575 lbs. 



The legs and feet are dull greenish plumbeous, or pale dingy 

 glaucous green ; claws dark greenish horny. 



In the male the irides are blood red ; in the female pearly or 

 opalescent white ; the orbital region dark fleshy pink ; the 

 eye-lids black. 



The general color of the bill and casque is yellow, always 

 paler on the lower mandible, but varying very much in depth 

 of color. 



The upper mandible is always more or less tinted with red 

 at the tip and with orange in the medial portion. The sides 



