Indian Birds 
It is often found far from water, since it 
feeds largely on insects, which it picks off the 
ground in much the same way as the roller or 
so-called blue jay does. 
The above three kingfishers are among the 
commonest birds of India. There are several 
other species of more restricted distribution ; 
but as these are only common locally, I have 
not included them in this work. The reader 
should experience no difficulty in identifying 
them with the aid of the descriptions in the 
Fauna of British India. (Illus. B. D., p. 104 ; 
also B. P., p. 4.) 
The Hornbills, 121 and 122 
These include some of the strangest forms in 
nature. ‘They are often erroneously called 
Toucans by Anglo-Indians. ‘Toucans do not 
occur in India. Hornbills are characterised 
by the enormous development of the bill. I 
have elsewhere described the largest of the 
hornbills as follows: Duchoceros bicornis is 
“ nearly 4% feet in length. The body is only 
14 inches long, being an insignificant part 
of the bird, a mere connecting link between |. 
the massive beak and the great loosely inserted 
164 
