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Ornithologicus ' (I.e.) Buceros plicatus. Both of these Latin names, however, must become 

 synonyms of plicatus given in Forster's work above mentioned. 



This bird is a native of several of the islands of the Eastern archipelago, Ceram being appa- 

 rently its western limit ; but it goes the furthest eastward of all the members of the family, having 

 been obtained by Mr. Bennett in the Solomon Islands. Of its habits and economy we know very 

 little, the few remarks given below, published by Mr. Wallace in the ( Intellectual Observer,' being 

 all that I have met with upon this subject. 



Wallace states that " on one occasion he shot a Moluccan Hornbill (Buceros ruficollis), to the 

 roof of whose beak was sticking a large lump of bees' comb, showing that he had been making a 

 meal off bees' brood and honey. They are also positively declared by the natives to eat eggs and 

 young birds occasionally. Yet, notwithstanding this varied bill of fare, there seems little doubt 

 but that periodical scarcity of food is the most efficient check to their increase, as shown by the fact 

 that the larger kinds are always scarce, even where the smaller ones abound." 



Dr. Beccari says that individuals of this species obtained in New Guinea have the neck of a 

 much lighter colour than those from the islands of Ceram and Amboina ; and D'Albertis records 

 in his report on the ornithology of the Ply Biver that it was common all over the country. He 

 saw some bills in the natives' huts that were much smaller than the usual style, which made him 

 suspect that there was a second species ; but he could not procure the bird itself. 



Bill long and curved, yellowish white, red at the base. At the base of the culmen, instead of 

 a casque is a moderate elevation divided into several deep prominent ridges of the same colour as 

 the bill, and also red at the base. Bare skin of throat and round the eyes pale blue. Head, neck, 

 and upper part of breast reddish orange. Entire rest of body and wings black with a greenish 

 tinge. Tail pure white. Iris salmon-colour. In old birds the cutting edges of the bill are 

 frequently much broken towards the point. Eeet black. 



Total length 29 inches, wing 17, tail 11 ; bill along gape 7, height at base 3 ; tarsus 2. 



The female has the body jet-black, with the bare skin blue ; iris chestnut ; tail white ; feet 

 black. 



The specimen from which my figure and description were taken is in my own collection. 





