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CATALOGUE. 
pairs, and is not gregarious. It cannot walk ; but advances on foot 
forwards and sideways, by bops, like a Crow or Magpie. Its fligbt 
is horizontal and heavy, with neck retracted, and tail dropped. The 
voice of the mature bird is usually a short hoarse croak ; but when 
angry or alarmed, it utters a cry not unlike a dog's bark. If left 
alone, it seldom speaks ; but when once excited to utterance, is most 
pertinaciously noisy. 
The figure of the bird is infinitely various in different attitudes. 
The familiar posture is a squat, with the neck-feathers ruffled out, 
the neck retracted with the high shoulders of the wings, and the tail 
frequently erected like a Magpie's, at other times, dropped ; and in 
this attitude the bird has a very stupid and clumsy appearance. 
When it raises itself on its feet, puts its neck partially forth, 
closes its neck-plumes, and drops its tail, the outline of the body is 
long, narrow, and not unpleasing. But to see this bird to advan- 
tage, mark it when dressing its plumage, with the fine shoulders of 
the wings projected, the strong nervous legs exposed to view, and 
the flexible neck extended and arched backwards : its figure has then 
some of the graces, and even terrors, of the nobler birds of prey. 
Its disposition is placid and tranquil ; but it is not, therefore, defi- 
cient in spirit, and when a captive and caged, though it hates, it 
fears not, the approach of dogs, and to man's approach is quite 
indifferent. It is easily tamed, both from its confidence and quiet 
habits. After much inquiry, I gather that this species feeds chiefly 
upon fruits, but, when urged by hunger, does not refrain from 
various kinds of reptiles. Judging by the structure of its bill, legs, 
and claws, one should conclude that it is not raptorial, even in the 
meanest sense ; and its perfect freedom from all oflfensive odour, as 
well as the excellency of the flesh (which is much esteemed by the 
mountaineers for the table), seems to go far towards proving that it 
is almost exclusively frugivorous. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied 
that, in the tame state, it will eat meat (either raw or dressed) with 
as much apparent relish as fruit. A specimen (female) which I kept 
in confinement was fed principally with boiled rice, mixed with ghee, 
and made up into large balls ; water it never touches. The throat 
is very wide, and the swallowing powers prodigious. "Whatever is 
offered to the bird as food, is gulped entire, after being rubbed more 
or less, according to the exigency, between the huge mandibles ; and 
if not capable of being thus disposed of, it is rejected. As a conse- 
quence of this mode of feeding, the bird is apt to be incommoded by 
its food after it has reached the upper stomach ; in which case, the 
