134 cassell's book of uikds. 



disposition, and strongly attached to each other, the male always nestling close beside his mate. 

 A fine male fell to the ground from fear at the report of Dr. Kirk's gun ; it was caught and kept on 

 board. The female did not fly off in the mornings to feed with the others, but flew round the sliip, 

 anxiously trying, by her plaintive calls, to induce her beloved one to follow her. She came again in 

 the evenings to repeat the invitation ; the poor disconsolate captive refused to eat, and in five days 

 died of grief because he could not have her company. No internal injury could be detected 

 after death." 



The SMOOTH-BEAKED HORNBILLS {Rhynchaceros) are the smallest members of tiiis 

 extensive group. In these birds the beak, which is comparatively small, has both mandibles curved, 

 and the margins more or less denticulated ; the feet are short and weak ; the wings, in which the 

 fourth or fifth quill is the longest, are of medium size, and the slightly-rounded tail of moderate 

 length. 



THE TOK. 



The, ToK {Rhytichaccros crythror/iyiic/ius), a species inhabiting a large portion of Africa, is of 

 a reddish grey upon the mantle and dirty white on the under side ; the head and throat are greyish 

 white; the wing-covers black, spotted with yellowish white on the inner web, with the exception of 

 the innermost, which is white on the outer and brownish grey on the inner web ; the two centre tail- 

 feathers are a dull grey, the rest are black and white. The eye is deep brown, the beak blood-red, 

 with a dark patch at the base of the lower mandible, the feet are brownish grey. This species is 

 seventeen inches and three-quarters long, and twenty-two broad ; the wing measures six inches and 

 a half and the tail seven inches and a half. The female is similarly coloured, but considerably 

 smaller than her mate. 



The Tok is commonly met with in all the forests of Abyssinia, Eastern Soudan, and Cordofanin, 

 and occurs, we believe, throughout the whole of the wooded portions of Central, Western, and Southern 

 Africa. Occasionally we have noticed it living among the wooded portions of the steppes, and have 

 seen it in large numbers upon the lofty trees that abound in the river valleys. According to Heuglin, 

 it is found upon the mountains at an altitude of seven thousand feet above the sea. Like other 

 Hornbills, it is a true tree-bird, and but rarely descends to the ground, except when the supply of 

 fruit and berries upon which it principally subsists falls short. Certain trees are usually selected as 

 favourite resting-places, and upon them it perches with the utmost regularity, taking possession of the 

 highest branches, upon which it swa)'s itself to and fro, varying the entertainment from time to time 

 by hopping clumsily from bough to bough. Its flight somewhat resembles that of the Woodpecker, 

 and is produced by a series of rapid strokes, by means of which the bird rises quickly into the air 

 to a certain height, from whence it precipitately descends, with the head downwards, in a series of 

 curves. This process is repeated many successive times, the tail meanwhile being alternately spread 

 and closed. The cry of the Tok, which is supposed to be represented by its name, is usually 

 reiterated with great persistence and such rapidity as frequently to have almost the effect of one 

 sound prolonged for a minute at a time, each note being accompanied by a duck of the head that 

 gives a most absurd effect to the whole performance, as, owing to the quickness of utterance in which 

 the bird indulges as it becomes excited, it is compelled to exert itself to the utmost, in order that the 

 bow and the cry may be simultaneous. In disposition this species exhibits all the curiosity and 

 keenness of observation possessed by the Raven, and, like that noisy bird, never fails to betray the 

 presence of any unusual object to all its feathered companions by the loudness of its warning cries, 

 which appear to be uttered solely for their benefit, for the Tok itself boldly darts down upon even 

 the larger birds of prey, and grievously torments the leopard of its native forests by harrying it 



