966 JOURNAL, BGMBA Y NATURAL HISTOR Y SOCIETY, Vol. XVII. 



Suborder Bucerotes. 

 Family BUCEROTID^E. 



1051. Dichoceros bicornis.— 'The Great Hornbill. 

 Common in parts, especially in the Jantia Hills, near the Kopili. 



1053. Anthracoceros .albirostris. — The Indo-Burmese Pied Hornbill. 

 Common. This Hornbill feeds much on the ground both on fallen forest 



fruits and also on any odd animal food it can pick up. 



1054. Rhytidooeros undulatus. — The Malayan Wreathed Hornbill. 

 Common. Near Sylbet certain trees are regularly leased as preserves for 



this bird, which is in great request as food for ladies who wish for large 

 families. I have seen over a dozen birds procured in a day from such a 

 preserve. 



1057. Aceros nepalensis. — The Rufous-necked Hornbill. 

 A straggler only. 



Suborder Upup.e. 

 Family UPUPID2E. 



1066. Upupa epops. — The European Hoopoe. 



Common non-resident. Iu Shillong, Hoopoes, instead of being the tame con- 

 fiding birds they are in most parts of India, are extremely wild and shy. 



1067. Upupa indica. — The Indian Hoopoe. 

 Common and resident. 



Order MACROCHIRES. 

 Family CYPSELID^E. 

 Cypselus acuticauda. — The Khasia Swift. 

 So far only obtained at Cherrapoonji. Practically nothing is known about 

 this bird which was named by Blyth and was then overlooked or refused 

 recognition by subsequent writers until Hartest procured another specimen 

 and unearthed Hume's original description. On my arrival here I deputed two 

 collectors to try and trace this bird, but for a very long time without any 

 result. At last, in May, they came across a small colony breeding in the 

 precipitous cliffs at a place called Laitkynsew near Cherrapoonji and succeeded 

 in taking six nests — all there were — and in shooting six of the parent birds. 



The Swift cannot be a common one as we have so far obtained no others 

 and the Khasias say that they are very rare and are only found in the most 

 rugged and precipitous places where they breed in very small colonies of 

 from three to a dozen pairs, but the former more often than the latter. 

 In June all the birds disappeared and we failed ever to come across them. 



1072. Cypselus leetconyx. — Blyth's White-rumped Swift.: 

 I obtained a nest of this Swift in a nullah just below my house. It was 

 placed in a split in a rock and was visible from outside and. as it was only 

 about four feet from the bottom of the rock, easily obtainable. It contained 

 two fully fledged young. Tbe nullah was in thick pine forest with a scanty 

 undergrowth of shrubs and ferns. 



1074. Cypselus subfurcatus. — The Malay House-Swift. 

 Common. Breeds in cliffs and not in houses like affinis. 



