

BYCANISTES BUCCINATOR 



TBUMPETEB HOENBILL. 



Buceros buccinator, Temm. Plan. Col. vol. ii. pi. 284 ; Wagl. Syst. Av. (1827) sp. 12; Less. Trait. Ornith. (1831) 



p. 253. sp. 7; Gray, Gen. Birds, (1849) vol. ii. p. 399; Gurney, Ibis, (1861) p. 133; Schleg. Mus. Pays-E. 



(1862) p. 17; Kirk, Ibis, (1864) p. 326; Layard, B. of S. Afr. (1867) p. 226; Finsch & Hartl. Reis. Ost-Afr. 



(1867) p. 484; Giebel, Thesaur. Ornith. (1872) p. 496; Elliot, Ibis, (1873) p. 179; Layard, B. of S. Afr 



Sharpens ed. (1875) p. 125. sp. 117. 

 Bucorvus buccinator, Bon. Consp. Gen. Av. (1850) p. 89. sp. 5. 

 Tmetoceros buccinator, Bon. Consp. Vol. Anisod. (1854) p. 2, gen. 3. sp. 7. 



Bycanistes buccinator, Cab. & Heine, Mns. Hein. (1860) Th. ii. p. 171 ; id. von der Deck. Reis. vol. iii. p. 38. 

 Buceros {Bycanistes) buccinator, Gray, Hand-1. B. (1870) pt. ii. p. 130. sp. 7910. 



Native name Kahomira e none (Kirk) . 



Hab. Zambesi region, valley of the Shire (Kirk) ; Caffraria (Schlegel). 



Temminck was the first to describe this species, which is the type of Cabanis's genus Bycanistes, 

 made to include all the great helmeted Hornbills of Africa with black-and-white plumage. 

 Although remarkable for the extent of its casque, which reaches nearly to the end of the bill, it is 

 exceeded in size by several others of the section to which it belongs. Its synonymy is very simple, 

 only one specific name having been given to it, although it has been treated to several generic 

 ones, Bonaparte having tried two, both of which had been employed before, viz. Bucorvus, which 

 was given by Lesson to B. abyssinicus, and Tmetoceros, a term used by Cabanis for the^Ground- 

 Hornbill. In his * Birds of the Zambesi Begion,' Kirk says that this species is " rather common in 

 the mountains and plains, frequenting the forests and living in small flocks. It returns every 

 night to the same roosting-place, leaving in the day in search of fruit. It is very fond of a 

 drupaceous species of Strychnos (resembling the S. potatorum of India), the fruit of which is said 

 to be poisonous to man. Its cry is loud and harsh." Layard says, " it was procured by Mr. Ayres 

 at Natal, and also included in Victorin's list. It has been forwarded to me by Mr. Henry Bowker, 

 who procured it in the Transkei country. His sister (Mrs. Barber) informs me that it is a very 

 wild and shy bird and very difficult to shoot." 



Male.— BUI black, gonys straight for about one third from the base, then rising to the point of 

 mandible in a sharp angle. A casque proceeds from the base of the maxilla, projects backwards 

 over the head, then inclines forwards nearly to the point of the bill, and returns to the culmen at 

 an acute angle. This is yellowish towards the upper part, remainder black, the yellow colour 

 being widest at the posterior terminus. Head, neck, upper part of breast, flanks, and wings black 





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