242 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



Zygodaciyh Toucans of S. America, and are much m.ore nearly 

 related to the Hoopoes, and Irrisor, of the Tenuirostral tribe. Thej 

 are, indeed, popularly called Toucans throughout India ; and this 

 appears to be their name in some of the Malayan isles ; the word 

 signifying a worker, from the noise they make. 



The genus Buceros has of late been sub-divided into several 

 genera, most of which differ in the form of the bill, and the style 

 of coloration. Although, to some, it may at first sight appear an 

 unnecessary refinement to sub-divide birds of such a marked group, 

 yet, if it be considered that the Kingfishers (and many other families 

 as well) are just as marked a group as the Hornbills, and are sub- 

 divided into many genera, on what is considered ample grounds, it 

 will at once be conceded that there is equally sufficient reason for 

 dividing the Hornbills. 



Gen. HoMRAius, Bonap. 



Char. — Bill with a broad flat casque, extending backwards 

 over the head, for more tlian half the length of the bill, and 

 descending to meet the bill at a right angle. Of large size ; 

 plumage black and white. 



140. Homraius bicornis, Lin. 



Buceros, apud LiNN^us — HoRsr., Cat. 868 — B. cavatus, Shaw, 

 — Gould, Cent. Him. Birds, pi — Jerdon, Cat. 196 — Blyth, Cat. 

 174 — B. homrai, HoDGS. As. Ees. XVIII. 169, with fig — Homrai, 

 in Nepal — Ban-rao, at Mussooree ; both words meaning ' king of 

 the jungles' — Garuda, Can. — Garur, Mahr. — Malletnoraki, Mai. — 

 ' Rhinoceros Hornbill' of Europeans in India. 



The Great Horn-bill. 



Descr. — Head, and base of bill all round, back, wings, and belly, 

 black ; neck, ends of the upper tail-coverts, tail, thigh-coverts, vent, 

 under tail-coverts, and wing spot, white, the latter formed by the 

 edges of the greater coverts ; the base of the primaries, and the 

 tips of all the quills, also white ; tail with a broad black band, 

 towards the terminal third. The neck, and sometimes the wing- 

 gpot, are often smeared yellow, from the secretion of the uropygial 

 gland. 



