312 HORN-BILL. 



bill is black, as is the base of the helmet at the back part, and for 

 one-fourth of its length from the base to the point, but not on the 

 lower edges ; the colour otherwise dirty yellow ; the general colour 

 of the plumage is black on the head, neck, wings, and back ; but the 

 space round the eyes is wrinkled and bare, the eyelids furnished with 

 long hairs ; irides reddish brown ; the hindhead elongated into a sort 

 of crest ; round the chin and base of the under mandible is a naked, 

 wrinkled, white skin ; all the under parts of the body from the breast, 

 are white ; the three first prime quills are white for the most part, and 

 the three outer feathers on each side of the tail are also white, but 

 the rest are black ; the shape is rounded at the end, and the wings 

 reach about one-third thereon ; the legs are black. 



This bird is said to inhabit various parts of India, but is also 

 frequent in Ceylon throughout, where the inhabitants keep them 

 tame, to destroy rats and mice ; in this, surpassing the domestic cat. 



It is averred, that the female does not differ from the male in 

 external appearance, except in being smaller, and the helmet not so 

 large, and less pointed : it frequents the forests, and builds in hollow 

 trunks of trees, laying four dirty white eggs ; it feeds on insects, and 

 their larvae, small lizards, and frogs. 



A. — Buceros Malabaricus, y. Ind. Orn.'u 144. 



Calao des Philippines, Buf. vii. pi. 8. PL eiil. 873. 



Calao unicorne dans le 2d Age, Levail. Am. # Ind. i. pi. 11. 12. 



Pied Horn-bill var. Gen. Syn. i. p. 350. 2d paragr. 



In respect to the plumage of this bird the same description will 

 serve, as of the last ; but it differs essentially in the bill, which is much 

 shorter, and in particular the helmet ; this is flat on the sides, and 

 channelled as in the other, but the farther end, though sharp edged, 

 not forming a point; at this part, however, it is dusky black, not indeed 

 so much as represented in the PL enlum. 873, which is painted of a 

 deep black. We learn from Levaillant, that this is the state of a 



