chap, vni.] HOENBILLS. 213 



bird of one of the large hornbills. I had sent my hunters 

 to shoot, and while I was at breakfast they returned, 

 bringing me a fine large male, of the Ihiceros bicornis, 

 which one of them assured me he had shot while feeding 

 the female, which was shut up in a hole in a tree. I had 

 often read of this curious habit, and immediately returned 

 to the place, accompanied by several of the natives. After 

 crossing a stream and a bog, we found a large tree lean- 

 ing over some water, and on its lower side, at a height of 

 about twenty feet, appeared a small hole, and what looked 

 like a quantity of mud, which I was assured had been 

 used in stopping up the large hole. After a while we 

 heard the harsh cry of a bird inside, and could see the 

 white extremity of its beak put out. I offered a rupee to 

 any one who would go up and get out the bird, with the 

 egg or young one ; but they all declared it was too difficult, 

 and they were afraid to try. I therefore very reluctantly 

 came away. In about an hour afterwards, much to my 

 surprise, a tremendous loud hoarse screaming was heard, 

 and the bird was brought me, together with a young one 

 which had been found in the hole. This was a )nost 

 curious object, as large as a pigeon, but without a particle 

 of plumage on any part of it. It was exceedingly plump 

 and soft, and with a semi-transparent skin, so that it 

 looked more like a bag of jelly, with head and feet stuck 

 on, than like a real bird. 



