ACEROS NEPALENSIS 



KUFOUS-NECKED HOEOILL 



Buceros nepalensis, Hodgs. Calc. Glean. Sc. (1829) vol. i. p. 249; id. Proc. Zool. Soc. (1832) p. 15; id. Asiat. 

 Research. (1833) p. 178, pis. 1, 2; Blyth, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng. (1843) vol. xii. pt. ii. p. 989, (1847) 

 p. 997. pi. 44. fig. 1 ; G. R. Gray, Gen. Birds, (1849) vol. ii. p. 400. sp. 24; Blyth, Cat. Birds Mus. Asiat. 

 Soc. (1849) p. 45. sp. 189; Schleg. Mus. Pays-B. (1862) p. 10; Giebel, Thes. Ornith. (1872) p. 501. 



Aceros nepalensis, Hodgs. Gray's Zool. Misc. (1844) p. 85; Bon. Consp. Vol. Anisod. (1854) p. 3; Horsf. & Moore, 

 Cat. Birds Mus. E.-Ind. Co. (1856-8) vol. ii. p. 601. sp. 884; Jerd.B.Ind. (1862) vol. i. p. 250; Blyth, Ibis 

 (1866) p. 350; Jerd. Ibis (1872) p. 5 ; Blyth, Cat. Mamm. & B. Burma (1875), p. 69. sp. 73 ; Gammie, Str. 

 Feath. (1875) p. 210. 



Calao nepalensis, Bon. Consp. Gen. Av. (1850) p. 90. sp. 5. 



Buceros {Aceros) nepalensis, Tickell, Ibis (1864) p. 182; Gray, Hand-1. B. (1870) pt. ii. p. 129. sp. 7888. 



Khulut of the Lepchas, Gog-biah of the Bhotees of Darjeeling (Jerdon) . 



Hab. S.E. Himalayas, hill-ranges of Assam and Munipur, Kachar, Tenasserim Provinces (Blyth). 



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This handsome bird, one of the finest of the family, has been made the type of the genus 

 Aceros by Mr. Hodgson. Although belonging to the group of large Hornbills, it differs con- 

 spicuously from them in being destitute of a casque, that remarkable addition to the bills of its 

 relatives ; instead of this the culmen is swollen at the base, and slightly elevated. There is not, 

 fortunately, any confusion existing in the synonymy of this species, the bird being too striking 

 in its appearance to leave much room for errors in its identification to occur. 



The range of this fine bird appears to be along the South-eastern Himalayas to the mountains 

 of Tenasserim. Tickell shot one on the spur leading to Mooleyit Peak, at a height of 3500 feet, 

 which is the only specimen obtained in British Burma that I have seen recorded. It did not 

 differ from the Nepaulese specimens. The flight of this species is performed by irregular beats of 

 the wings, with retracted neck and lowered tail. The voice of the adult is a hoarse croak ; but 

 when the bird is excited, it resembles a dog's bark, and is very noisy. The young utter a sound 

 like the clucking of a brood-hen, according to Hodgson, falling occasionally into the shriller notes 

 of the guinea-fowl. The species feeds chiefly on fruits, but will not refuse reptiles if hungry. 

 When tame it will eat meat, both raw and cooked, and also boiled rice. Every thing it takes it 

 swallows whole. Its flesh is eaten by the mountaineers, and much esteemed by them. It nests 

 in a hole in a tree, excavating it, says Hodgson, out of the solid wood, and closing the aperture by 

 an ingeniously contrived door I so that it is with difficulty discovered. It is said to go in pairs, 

 and not to be gregarious, although Jerdon speaks of observing it in small flocks. He says that 

 this species is easily alarmed, and that the people of Cachar and Munnipore take advantage of this 



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