ANTHEACOCEEOS COEONATUS. 273 



Adult male. Length 36-0 inches ; wing 13-0 to 13"3 ; tail 13-0 ; tarsus 2-5 ; middle toe 2-1, its claw (straight) 075 ; 

 hind toe 1-1, its claw (straight) OS ; bill from gape to tip across the arc 7'0, casque along ridge 7'5 to 9-5, 

 height of bill with casque 4 - 0. 



Adult female: Length 34-5 inches; wing 12 - 75 : tail 14-0 : bill from gape to tip across arc 6*8, casque along the 

 ridge 7 - to 8-5. 



The casque projects back over the crown and gradually becomes compressed to a sharp edge at its anterior part, which 



recedes downwards to the mandible, joining it about 2| inches from the tip. The size of the projection forward 



beyond the point of contact and the consequent angle of connexion depend on age. 

 Iris crimson ; eyelid black; orbital skin and gular region "fleshy;" bill and casque fleshy white ; above and beneath 



the gape, the posterior face of the casque and its anterior three fourths black, the colour never descending onto 



the mandible, and not reaching quite to the anterior edge of the casque ; legs and feet blackish leaden colour ; 



edges of tarsal scales whitish, soles yellowish. 

 In the female the black at the gape does not extend to the upper mandible, nor is the posterior edge of the casque 



black. 

 Entirely glossy green-black, except the under surface from the chest downwards, the terminal portion of the secondaries 



and all but the first two primaries, the three outer tail-feathers, and terminal half of next pair, all of which parts 



are pure white ; base of primaries whitish. 

 In some examples the tips of some of the tertials are white, as also those of the centre tail-feathers ; while the 4th 



tail-feather is sometimes entirely white, and the corresponding one perhaps of the normal colour. 



Young. In the bird of the year the casque is partly undeveloped, the posterior edge is perpendicular, and the anterior 

 portion grades into the bill, the curve of the ridge being continuous with that of the tip. In the second year 

 the anterior projection of the casque begins to develop. The bill is devoid of the black, there being merely a 

 dusky patch at the gape and a slight dark wash near the anterior portion of the casque. 



A male shot at Jaffna measures : — wing 12-3 inches ; tail 13-2 ; tarsus 2-5 : bill across arc, gape to tip 5-4, along 



gape 5-5. 

 A female : — wing 11-8 inches ; tail 11-5 ; tarsus 2-5 ; bill, gape to tip across arc, 4-8-5. 

 The terminal 2 inches of the primaries only are white, while in the adult this colour extends to 3 inches from the 



tip ; on the secondaries the white diminishes to f inch on the innermost feather. 



Obs. Ceylonese individuals are quite as fine as those from India. Mr. Ball gives the wing of a Chota-Xagpur male 

 as only 11-25 inches, and the bill from gape 6-2. The present species is closely allied to A. mdlabarieus, which 

 has been described under the names of Hydrocissa albirostris and H. affinis, and frequently referred to by these 

 titles in the writings of Indian naturalists. It differs from the present species in the slightly smaller casque, 

 which has the black patch extending onto the upper mandible, and in the coloration of the tail-feathers, the three 

 outer pairs of which have the terminal portions only white instead of being entirely so, as in A. coronatus. 



Distribution.- — This fine Hornbill frequents the wild dry jungle-districts of the low country, perhaps 

 ascending into the Haputale range and up the eastern slopes of Madulsiina, Medaniahanuwara, and the 

 Knuckles to some elevation during the N.E. monsoon. Commencing in the south, its range begins in the 

 Hambantota district, where it is numerous, and, taking in all the forest-country up to Lemastota, extends 

 northward through the eastern and northern portions of the island of Jaffna. Down the west coast it is 

 found as far south as Chilaw and the Seven Korales ; but near Kurunegala itself I was unable to detect its 

 presence, although I searched diligently for it. I have seen specimens from the Kurunegala district ; but I 

 imagine they must have been killed nearer Puttalam than that place, for Mr. Parker tells me that it is found 

 at Uswewa, but probably does not extend further inland than Nikerawettiya. It occurs throughout the 

 interior of the north-central part of the island, but not so commonly as near the coast, along which it is 

 always more abundant than further inland. 



Layard speaks of a second species of Pied Hornbill which he said he saw twice in the hills ; he supposed 

 it to be the Buceros albirostris, above referred to. On one occasion his collector " Muttu " saw it at 

 Gillymally in forest. As will be seen, the slight differences existing in this species are not such as could 

 ensure its identification on the wing ; and I am therefore of opinion that Layard must have met with the 

 immature of the present bird, the peculiar bill of which might have led to the supposed identification of a 



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