

CERATOGYMNA ELATA 



YELLOW-CASQUE BLACK HOEOILL. 



Buceros elatus, Temm. Plan. Col. (1830) vol. ii. no. 521, fig. 1 (bill); Cass. Joum. Acad. Nat. Sc. Phil. (1849-50) 

 vol. i. p. 135; G. E. Gray, Gen. Birds (1849), vol. ii, p. 390. sp. 13; Sundev. Ofvers. Kongl. Vetensk. Akad. 

 Forh. (1849) p. 161 ; Hartl. Journ. fiir Ornith. (1854) p. 126. sp. 386, (1861) p. 261 ; Hartl. Ornith. West- 

 Afr. (1857) p. 161; J. H. Gnrney, Ibis (1859) p. 153; Schleg. Mus. Pays-Bas (1862) p. 18; Eyton, Osteol. 

 Av. (1867) p. 63; Sharpe, Ibis (1872) p. 67; Sclater, Rev. List Vert. Anim. (1872) p. 72. 



Buceros cultratus, Sundev. Ofvers. Kongl. Vetensk. Akad. Fork (1849) p. 160 ? ; Jard. Contr. Ornith. (1852) 

 p. 161; Hartl. Journ. fiir Ornith. (1854) p. 127. sp. 390; Hartl. Ornith. West-Afr. (1857) p. 161. 



Bucorvus elatus, Bon. Consp. Gen. Av. (1850) p. 89. sp. 2. 



Ceratogymna elata, Bon. Consp. Vol. Anisod. (1854) p. 2. 



Buceros {Ceratogymna) elatus, G. R,. Gray, Hand-1. Birds (1870) pt. ii. p. 130. sp. 7909. 



Hab. Sierra Leone to the Gaboon (Schlegel). 



This truly fine species is a native of the west coast of Africa, where it is met with from Sierra 

 Leone to the Gaboon. It is nearest allied to Sphagolobus atratus; and the colour of the plumage of 

 the two species is not unlike ; but the shape of the casques and the hues of the rectrices will always 

 readily distinguish them. Although a large and conspicuous bird, nothing has been recorded about 

 its economy or habits ; and it is not very frequently seen in collections. Even among the extra- 

 ordinary forms met with in this family, the present species is remarkable for the great develop- 

 ment of its casque and its powerful bill. On account of this, as well as the peculiar shape of the 

 casque, Bonaparte placed this species in a separate genus; and his term Ceratogymna I have 

 adopted, as the bird seems to possess characters which fairly entitle it to a distinct generic rank. 

 Occasionally individuals of this species have been brought alive to Europe and exhibited in zoolo- 

 gical gardens. In 1871 a male was an inmate of the Eegents'-Park Gardens. 



Male.— Bill large, curved, black. Erom about its centre a high casque rises, rather flat on 

 its anterior face, keel-shaped on top, and curves back over the head, becoming swollen towards its 

 posterior margin; along the sides of this casque are several deep longitudinal grooves; the 

 general colour is yellow, with the exception of the posterior terminus and lower edges of the' sides 

 next the maxilla, which are black. The bare skin around the eye and the greater part of the 

 throat is dark blue ; lowest portion of throat scarlet. Sides of the neck buffy white, central 

 portion of feathers black. Head crested, and, together with the feathers of the body and wings, 

 black. Two central rectrices black, remainder white. Eeet black. 



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