248 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



and tlie posterior margin also black, both on tlie bill and casque. 

 Has only hitherto been found in the Dehra Doon. 



A very closely allied species occurs in Malacca and Java, II. 

 convexa, Temni., PI. Col. 530 ; this has the size and casque of H. 

 olhlrostris, with the entirely white outer tail-feathers of H. coronata. 

 The same region has also H. jnalai/ana. and //. nigrlrostn's ; if the 

 latter be not the female of the other, as suggested by Mr. Wallace. 



The next two species have been placed under the same genus, 

 Tochts, of Lesson ; but on what principle they are kept together, 

 whilst other groups are instituted chiefly on the form of the bill, 

 I cannot understand. B. gingalensis is as distinct in form from £. 

 bicomis, as NipaJensis is from coronata; and if Aceros be held good 

 for the one, and Hydrocissa for the other, surely, on similar 

 grounds, these two ought to be separated ; and I shall accordingly 

 do so ; calling the first group, typified by hicornis, Meniceros, after 

 Gloger ; as Toclais appears to have been instituted on some African 

 species very similar to gingalensia. 



Gen. Meniceros, Gloger. 



Syn. Tochis, in part, Auct. 



Char. — Bill with a compressed sharp-pointed casque ; size small ; 

 plumage grey. 



The following bird and B. panayensis, Scopoli, have been 

 classed together under the name of Penelopides, Reichenbach ; 

 but I do not perceive any special affinity between the two. The 

 latter bird more resembles Nipalensis in its mode of colaration ; but 

 the adult has a small casque, and the tail is not white. 



144. Meniceros bicornis, Scop. 



Buceros, apud ScopOLi— HoRSF., Cat. 881 — Bltth, Cat. 183— 

 B. ginginlanus, Lath. — Jerdon, Cat. 198 — B. oxyurus, Wagler 

 — B. cineraceus, HoDGS. — B. griseus. Lath., apud Bonap. — 

 Cliakotra, H. — Puttied dhanes, H., in Bengal — Dhani7iar, or 

 Lamdar, H., in the Upper Provinces — Rwidu-mukala ginca, Tel., 

 i.e., Two-billed Pigeon. — Mtimi mukala kaka, i, e. Three-billed 

 Crow, Tarn. — Selagilli, at Saugor. 



