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BYCANISTES ALBOTIBIALIS 



I0ANQ0 WHITE-THIGHED HOSNBILL. 



Buceros alhotibialis, Cab. & Keich. Journ. fiir Ornith. (1877) p. 103. 

 Hab. Loango (Cab. & Reich.). 



This species was described by Herren Cabanis and Reichenow as above. It is singularly like 

 B. cylindriem, but differs in the shape of the casque, and in having the thighs pure white 

 instead of black. A drawing of the type, now in the Berlin Museum, was forwarded to me by 

 Dr. Cabanis, and is reproduced in the smaller figure of the plate. Its casque differs in shape 

 from that of an adult specimen of the same species in the British Museum, represented in the 

 chief figure in the illustration : in this last the casque is smooth, and projects forward to a point 

 over the culmen ; the bill also has the furrows fewer and slighter. This last specimen is stated 

 to have come from the Gaboon. The plumage of JB. alhotibialis is black, with green reflections 

 only, and without any of the bluish tints seen on the feathers of its relative. Both species are 

 very rare in collections, but few museums possessing examples ; and but little is known of their 

 economy or habits ; in fact, as regards the present one we know absolutely nothing. 



Male. Bill black, with the exception of apical third, which is yellow. A casque rises from 

 base of the maxilla, inclines slightly backwards over the head, then extends by a gradual curve 

 forwards over the point of the maxilla, and returns by a very acute angle to the culmen, which it 

 reaches at about the commencement of the black colour. The posterior termination and sides of 

 the casque along the maxilla are black. Head covered with a loose, rather full crest, and, together 

 with the neck, back, and breast, it is black, with green reflections. Wings same colour as the 

 back, with the exception of two thirds of the secondaries and one third of the primaries (from 

 their tips), which are pure white. Rump, abdomen, thighs, upper and under tail-coverts pure 

 white. Tail also pure white, crossed near the centre by a very broad black band glossed with 

 green. Tarsi and feet black. 



Length of bill 5 J inches, height 3f ; length of casque along curve 5^, height 2-J-; wing 13^ 

 tail 11^, tarsus 2. 



