WALLED UP. 143 



sents her. The bag is the inside coating of his stom- 

 ach, and he grows one after the other in constant and 

 very rapid succession as long as his wife requires to 

 be fed. 



If Mrs. Hornbill breaks down the partition lier 

 mate has built up at the entrance of her apartment, or 

 if he catches another hornbill feeding her, the natives 

 say he flies away and never returns. 



Hombills, like the Chinese, are fond of their own 

 music — which is a comfort to think of, for otherwise 

 it is very certain no one would appreciate it. It is 

 something between the shriek of a locomotive and the 

 braying of a donkey, with a catch in it now and then 

 like the laugh of a hyena. The wings of a number 

 flying together make a noise that we are assured may 

 be heard a mile off ; and when a flock of birds music- 

 ally inclined are on the wing, their flight sounds like 

 a train of cars rattling past. 



If you ever happen to visit the Zoological Garden 

 in London, where specimens of these birds are kept, it 

 will be well worth your while to give the keeper a 

 half crown to see them fed. Our best ball players 

 could take points from them in respect to the way they 

 catch the fruit thrown to them. No matter how fast it 

 comes, or from what direction, they never miss — sel- 

 dom, even, when two or more grapes or dates are 

 thrown at once. The ease and dexterity with which 

 they use their great bills are wonderful. In picking 

 food from the ground, they flrst give it a sort of 

 toss and catch it before swallowing it. 



