AVES. 331 



another there were fragments of bones, apparently of a 

 tortoise. They were not in a state to give any indication 

 as to whether the animal had been killed and eaten by 

 the Hombill, or whether its remains had been found and 

 swallowed after death. I once saw an Abbagumba near 

 a number of mule carcases, but not, so far as I could 

 see, feeding on them. I think, in all probability it was 

 attracted by the insects. 



During the day the Abbagumba is generally seen, 

 often in pairs or three together, on open plains. At 

 night they roost upon trees. Their flight is heavy and 

 somewhat noisy ; not nearly so much so, however, as that 

 of the great Indian HornbOl, Buceros hicomis, L., which 

 may be heard at an immense distance. I have occasion- 

 ally seen B. ahyssinicus on trees in the day, but it does 

 not frequently remain upon them. 



Their voice is very deep and sonorous. They have 

 'two principal notes ; one, only uttered, so far as I heard, 

 on the ground, is something like "hum-hum," the first note 

 higher in the scale and longer than the second. The 

 other is a peculiar booming sound, so much resembling 

 the rather distant roar of a Lion, that on the Anseba, 

 where both lions and Ground HornbiUs are common, it 

 Was some time before I could distinguish the two. This 

 noise was made both on the ground and on trees, and is 

 frequently heard in the evening. 



Bucorvus ahyssinicus is chiefly found from about 

 4,000 feet to 7,000 or 8,000, but it is occasionally 

 met with at lower elevations, and I once saw a bird at 

 Komayli. 



