950 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol.XXni. \ 



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Js o. XVI.— NOTES ON THE "HABITS OF ANTHRAC0CER08 ' 



ALBIR0STRI8, THE INDO-BURMESE PIED HORNBILL ,^ 



IN CONFINEMENT." 1 



Indo- Burmese Pied Hornbill. 



{Anthracoceros alhirostris.) 



The Mikirs brought me in a nestling of this bird in May last (1920) but, at the 

 time being almost wholly featherless, I told them to bring it back when better 

 able to fend for itself. This they did at the end of June and a very different look- 

 ing bird it was by then. I may mention since the bird came into my possession 

 it has not been confined in any way being quite free to go and come as it pleases. 

 In temperament this Hornbill is the tamest of bird pets one could come across, 

 in fact at times is a decided nuisance (as at the moment of writing) o\ving to its 

 somewhat mischievous playfulness and partiality for. human company. 



Food when young.- — The bird was reared by hand on boiled rice, plantains 

 and breadj but since reaching months of discretion or perhaps to be more truth- 

 ful we might say indiscretion it seems to eat anything except offal (?) The 

 following are a few items I have observed in the Menu:^ — bread, boiled rice, plan- 

 tains,radish, lettuce, and other vegetables such as peas and beans, chrysanthemun 

 buds, many English floAver buds, vide Sutton's list for cold season's flowers, 

 Insects, an endless variety from wasps to beetles, etc., etc., to say nothing of such 

 titbits as snakes, frogs, lizards, fish, crabs, millipeds, scorpions, and galleodes. 



