“ upon his bill, which he Used as a pickaxe, till the house resounded with his rapid and 
“ well-aimed blows. On being checked from exercising his ingenuity in this manner he 
“ became sulky, and refused to eat or offer his call of recognition when I approached him: 
“ in a day or two, however, he apparently thought better of the matter, resumed his labours 
“ upon another spot, and fed as voraciously as ever, devouring huge slices of bananas, jungle 
“ fruits, the bodies of any small birds I skinned, &c.” 
“ This species breeds in hollow trees, laying three or four pure white but very shining 
“ eggs; axis T'T, diameter - 95, The natives all affirm that the birds hollow out their own 
“ nest-hole. One I saw was in an unsound tree, the nest slightly formed of a few bents of 
“ dry grass.” 
The plate is drawn from a specimen in our own collection which was killed in Ceylon 
by Mr. Chapman, and which we obtained from Lord Walden. It represents an adult bird, 
life size. 
