BIRDS OF TENASSERIM. 



107 



They probably obtain these lizards on the ground, to which, 

 they constantly resort. Hydrocissa nigrirostris of Malacca is 

 another species that often descends to the ground. 



The present species (B. comatus) has a remarkably soft flight 

 for a Hornbill ; it progresses by an almost noiseless but rapid 

 flapping of the wings without the intermediate sailing periods 

 characteristic of the flight of Hydrocissa, Dichoceros, &c. 



It keeps entirely to the denser portion of the forests it in- 

 habits, never coming into the open or thinly-wooded places. — 

 W. D.J 



In this species the bill and casque are devoid of rugations 

 or plications. The casque is of moderate size, merely a more 

 or less elevated and compressed ridge extending along about 

 three-fifths of the culmen. There is a bare orbital space, and 

 the base of the lower mandible is also bare. The chin and 

 throat are sparsely feathered. There is no conspicuous angula- 

 tion at the gonys. 



The tail is much rounded, the central pair, however, being 

 considerably more than proportionally developed. The central 

 pair exceed the next by fuHy three inches ; these latter only 

 exceed the exterior pair by the same distance. 



The leading characteristic of this species is the huge and 

 peculiar crest. Immediately behind the nostrils and between 

 these and the eyes is a large tuft of stiff white erect feathers, 

 the webs entirely disintegrated (the longest of which measure 

 45 inches in the adult male) which are spread out into a com- 

 plete fan, the front part of which reaches down on to the 

 casque, quite concealing its posterior portion, and the hinder 

 portion of which is blended with the long stiff also disintegrat- 

 ed webbed feathers of the forehead, crown, and occiput, which 

 set out fully 2*5 inches from the skull, giving an appearance of 

 great size to the bird's head. 



The following are the dimensions recorded in the flesh of 

 several specimens : — - 



