172 



DESCRIPTION OF THE BUCEROS 



them, though both would still eat fresh good meat, either raw or dressed, 

 when vegetable diet was not within their reach. 



No offensive odour exhaled from the bodies of any of these four species, 

 and the flesh of all was wholesome and pleasantly flavoured ; facts which 

 seem to me decisive as to their never feeding on carrion, or even, on such 

 living animals as lizards and frogs. 



>' Is there a single bird or beast among the carnivora, the flesh of which 

 is wholesome and agreeable to our taste ? 



With respect to rats, mice, and small birds, it appears to me that so 

 awkward and inagile a creature as the Buceros (any of the species) must 

 soon die of hunger if he were obliged to sustain himself by the capture of 

 such nimble prey. 



; Indeed, the whole external structure of the birds of this Genus affords 

 a strong presumption against their being carnivora — except in the meanest 

 sense: and against their feeding on unclean reptiles and carrion, the 

 absence of offensive odour from their bodies and the wholesomeness of 

 their flesh, to my judgment, are conclusive. 



'ti What arguments might be drawn on either side from their internal 

 structure I am not anatomist enough to say, and I regret I could not 

 afford Dr. Bramley* an opportunity of judging. The character of the 

 stomach and intestines of a large species which forms the subject of the 



* To the kindness of this gentleman I am indebted for the anatomical observations upon the 

 Homr^i which are given in the sequel. Imperfect though they be (circumstances not admitting of a 

 regular dissection of the bird) they will I am sure be acceptable and highly valued by every true 

 ornithologist — mos-t works on the subject, and especially English works, being sadly deficient in this 

 *■ important kind of information. 



