58



On Hornbills.



Exceedingly tame, this bird enjoyed being caressed, allowed itself to

be picked up without struggling, and fed readily from the hand. It

enjoyed being scratched on the back of the head, slowly bending' its

head and raising the crown and nape feathers in parrot fashion. It

could catch any food thrown to it, “ fielding ” the morsels with

marvellous unerring accuracy. The cry of this bird was loud and

harsh. The building in which it was kept was warmed by a stove,

before which the bird would squat at night, like a dog crouching

before a fire. Always good tempered and alert, this Hornbill used

to amuse itself by jabbing at the stove with closed beak : it never

attempted to bite anyone. On the ground it progressed in a series

of long hops. Other individuals which I have observed flew well,

making a loud swishing sound which has aptly been compared by

travellers to the puffing of a railway engine.


The Rhinoceros Hornbill ( Buceros rhinoceros ) is but little

known to aviculture. At present there is a very fine example in the

Bird House at the Amsterdam Zoological Gardens, obtained from

Sumatra. It appears to agree very well with the mixed collection of

birds which share its cage. During the hot part of the day this

Hornbill prefers to sit aloft, high up on a suitable perch. I do not

remember seeing this species alive in the United Kingdom.


The “Two-horned” Hornbill (Dichoceros bicornis) is perhaps

the oftenest imported species. It is of large size and somewhat

clumsily built, and is further remarkable for its hoarse braying cry.

As far as the writer has been able to observe, this is a sluggish

species in captivity, entirely lacking the vivacity that characterises

the enterprising, alert Ground Hornbills or the vivacious black

species. Its quaint appearance is its chief claim to the attention of

the aviculturist; possibly it requires a warmer temperature than is

generally allotted to it, in order to display suitably its mental

characteristics.


Temminck’s Pied Hornbill ( Anthracoceros convexus) is a small

bird of convenient size for the aviary. In summer it can be kept

out of doors in the day time : it will eat fish, frogs, mice, grapes and

bananas. Some years ago I saw five of these Lesser Hornbills in

the same cage in the Antwerp Zoo. : occasionally they figure in

dealers’ lists in this country. In common with so many picarian



