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tion. Linnaeus also refers to Brisson's Hydrocorax philippensis, 'Ornith.' vol. iv\ p. 568. Of this bird 

 Brisson expressly states that he had only seen the head and the bill, which undoubtedly, from his 

 description, belonged to the bird represented on the opposite plate. Where he got his idea of the 

 plumage of the body is not stated ; but the head was in the cabinet of M. de Reaumur. Linnaeus, 

 in his description of the plumage, followed Brisson in a great measure, and evidently confused two 

 species together; for the tail of his bird belongs either to the A. coronatus or A. convexiis ; it is 

 impossible to say which. As, however, both Willughby and Brisson, whom Linnasus quotes, ac- 

 curately describe the head of the present species, the only portion they were acquainted with, and 

 the first-named also figures it, there can be no doubt as to which bird Linnaeus applied the term 

 blcornis ; and his diagnosis, " JB. fronte ossea plana antrorsum bicorni," can only be intended for the 

 species now under consideration, as there is no other Horn bill known for which this description 

 would answer. There is a great difference observable in the form of the casques of individuals, the 

 anterior margin in some assuming the shape of a semicircle, while in others it is almost flat. 

 These peculiarities are found to exist among specimens from all localities, and do not indicate sepa- 

 rate species. The Sikhim birds, as stated by Mr. Hume, are apparently somewhat larger than 

 those from Northern Tenasserim; but some from South Tenasserim equal in size the Sikhim ones, 

 and there is nothing to indicate two species. 



I have been unable to distinguish any differences between the Indian and Malayan forms of 

 this bird, sufficient to constitute them distinct, and have therefore placed Mr. Hodgson's B. 

 homrai among the synonyms of D. blcornis. 



This fine species, with one exception the largest of the family, has quite a wide range. In- 

 deed, how extensive this is we do not exactly know, for it may be an inmate of the great forests 

 that stretch away into China. Being met with generally throughout India, its habits have been ob- 

 served by many of the excellent naturalists of that country, and consequently we are pretty 

 familiar with its mode of life. 



It is a forest-loving bird, and is usually found on the mountain-ranges at a height of from 

 3000 to 5000 feet. According to Hodgson, it is also met with upon the lower ranges of hills near 

 the plains, preferring the open and cultivated spots in the wilds it inhabits, which places are 

 usually restricted to the banks of the rivers. It is gregarious, twenty or thirty individuals, as 

 stated by Hodgson, being commonly found in the same vicinity, six or seven on one tree, although 

 Jerdon says he never saw more than ^.yg or six together, either in Southern India or the Sikhim 

 Himalayas, and there only rarely; while Mr. Bourdillon states that three are the greatest number 

 he has seen at one time in the Travancore hills ; and Mr. Oates gives five or six as the number in 

 a flock in the Evergreen Forests in Upper Pegu, where it is a common bird, but extremely wary and 

 difficult to approach, keeping in the highest branches. They will remain perched for hours, almost 

 motionless, uttering at intervals a low croak as though conversing with each other. 



Usually it is rather a silent bird, but when wounded or taken captive, it utters the most ex- 

 traordinary sounds imaginable. The voice is very harsh and grating, and the noise it makes is 

 compared by Wallace to something between the bray of a jackass and the shriek of a locomotive, 

 and is not to be surpassed probably, in power, by any sound that an animal is capable of making, 



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