Nature and Alt, July 1, 18(10.] 
BUCEROS NIPALENSIS. 
37 
but Fuller mentions Herefordshire wool — “Leinster 
ore,” as it was called — as “the finest in all England, 
equalling, if not exceeding, the Apulian or Taren- 
tine in the South of Italy.” It need scarcely be 
added that at this time the Merino was unknown 
in England. Aubrey gives an interesting account 
of the dress of the shepherds of Salisbury Plain. 
He says — “ Their habit, I believe, is that of the 
Homan or Arcadian shepherds ; as they are de- 
lineated in Mr. Mich. Drayton’s ‘ Poly-Olbion 
sc. a long white cloake with a very deep cape, which 
comes halfway down their backs, made of the locks 
of the sheep. There was a sheep-croolce (vide 
Virgil’s Eclogues and Theocritus), a sling, a scrip, 
their tar-box, a pipe or Hute, and their dog. But 
since 1671, they are grown so luxurious as to neg- 
lect their ancient, warme, and useful fashion, and 
goe d la mode. Before the Civill Warres I remember 
many of them made straw hafts, which I thinke is 
now. left off, and our shepherdesses of late yeares 
doe begin to worke point, whereas, before, they did 
only knitt coarse stockings.” 
Our space will not permit us to review the con- 
dition of the farm-labourer in Tudor times, or even 
to notice the rude and imperfect implements with 
which the processes of agriculture were performed. 
Agriculture has advanced in both inspects, but 
scarcely pari passu ; and Ave cannot help thinking 
there is room for the hope that we may yet see the 
farm-labourer enjoying at least equal care and con- 
sideration with those mechanical aids which modern 
husbandry delights to honour. 
BUCEROS NIPALENSIS. 
By Captain Warren, Royal Artillery. 
To the Editor, — Sir:' The enclosed sketch is of 
a bird which I believe to be entirely unknown to 
English naturalists. The specimen from which I 
took it was shot in February, 1865, in the Pass 
leading to Bissen Tagii, in Bhootan. 
For many days previously we had on several oc- 
casions heard what we took to be the barking of 
dogs, and concluded that reconnoitring parties of 
Bhootanese were in our vicinity. At a distance, 
the noise was extraordinarily like that of a dog, 
only not so continuous, the barks being separate, 
and not one running into another, as is almost in- 
variably the case when watch-dogs give the alarm. 
At length one day an officer of the “ Ivhelab 
Ghilfre” Regiment approached stealthily the fan- 
cied hiding-plage of some Bhootanese party, and 
was surprised to find that the noise proceeded not 
from a dog, but from a bird, seated on the topmost 
branch of a tree. He at once shot it with his rifle. 
On measurement, I found its extreme length from 
tip of beak to tail-feather 3 feet 1 1 inches ; length 
of bill, 10 inches. The red feathers on his head 
and neck very nearly approached the appearance 
of hair, and this he could make stand out Avhen 
excited or barking. The huge bill was deeply 
notched, and bars of blue and black ran perpen- 
dicularly near the base ; a brilliantly blue, fleshy, 
bare space extended from behind the eye down the 
neck, and partly round a wattle of bright orange, 
which hung immediately below the lower beak ; 
the red extended from the head and neck down the 
breast and belly to the legs ; the beak and tail (in- 
cluding wing feathers and coverts) were all deep 
black with a blue gloss prevailing ; the pinions 
Avere the same, excepting the tips, which, like the 
ends of the tail feathers, Avere of pure Avhite ; the 
claws finely made and delicate, as is usual in all 
bii'ds of this class ; the eye Avas black, and the 
whole appearance of the bird strangely grotesque. 
Subsequently, Avhen I kneAv that the barking- 
proceeded from a bird and not from a dog, I 
listened carefully to the call, and was still astonished 
at the resemblance ; but I fancied that, having once 
known of this bird, I should not again be deceived. 
I regret not having been able to make more care- 
ful notes of this bird’s habits, but the river which 
ran close at hand held out greater inducements to 
me, for it swarmed Avitli fish, and afforded me most 
excellent sport. W. 
[Captain Warren is not quite correct in thinking 
the bird above described unknown to English natu- 
ralists. It has been both described and figured by 
Jerdan and Grey. Still, we feel much indebted for 
the interesting incidents related in connection with 
its capture. The illustration — carefully prepared 
from the sketch furnished us — is of the male bird 
(Buceros Nipalensis). — Ed.] 
