250 
On a i Sew Species of Buceros. [Sept, 
That the inner margins of the hill are not naturally “ serrated,” in this species 
at least, 1 am enabled confidently to say, from having a well grown young bird, 
with a perfect bill before me. . , , . , , 
The upper mandible of this species is not furnished with an accessory member, 
in this respect agreeing with the Senegal G ingala and crimson hornbills. Both 
dibles are nearly equal, and tend to a point, which is obtuse, especially in old birds. 
The base of the culmen, as far down on either side as the nostrils, is feathered ; 
the remainder of the base of the bill entirely naked. t T ] 
The tongue is very small, triangular, and flat. The nostrils are small, rounded, 
basal, placed high on the sides of the bill, and covered with recumbent feathers. 
The region nf the eyes is naked, except over the brows, as far forward as the 
nostrils, where the skin is feathered. The eyelashes arc strong, flattish, and tend 
outwards, with their tips incurved. The legs are short, very stont, and unfit for 
walking the tarsi very short ; in front, a little feathered at top, elsewhere shielded 
by a succession of single, strong, transverse scales : the toes disposed three before 
and one behind, of moderate length, dilated, flat, strong, scaly, very imperfectly 
separated ; the anterior outer toe being united to the central one, beyond the se- 
cond joint, and the interior inner toe, beyond the first joint. This imperfect fissure 
of the toes, joined to their extreme flatness beneath, gives to the soles of the teet a 
singular character : and the legs are so placed in the body, that the bird, in perch- 
ing, grasps somewhat obliquely : claws arched, compressed, truncated. 
The tail is greatly elongated, cuneiform ; erigible : consisting of ten unequal 
feathers. The wings are liigh.sbouldered ; powerful ; of moderate length ; inclining 
to round; the first and second quills not being so long as those that follow, and 
these again, not much longer than the succeeding ones. The naked skin round the 
eyes and base of the bill is of velvety softness, and runs connectedly from the eyes 
to the edges of the bill next the throat ; and where it terminates below, or at the 
junction of the lower mandible and of the throat, is a large angular space void of 
liorn, from the edges of which depends a bag, as large as a domestic fowl’s egg, of 
smooth naked skin. This bag the bird tills and empties at will ; but never changes 
its colour, as the Abyssinian Uornbill (which is also provided with a similar appen- 
dage) is said to do. 
The feathers of the head, neck, and body beneath are of a remarkable texture 
and substance. These plumes (if plumes they can be called) are somewhat elong- 
gated, and have long discomposed webs, and both shafts and webs are of a wiry or 
hairy substance. Those of the head and neck, which are rather longer than the 
rest, form a sort of pendant ruff, that is capable of partial erection at the bird’s 
pleasure. This rntf has the advantageous effect of taking off from the monstrous 
disproportion between the huge bill and comparatively small head and neck ; but on 
the other hand, its erection, from the scanty set, and separated web, of the feathers, 
exposes the coarse nasty skin of the neck. The rump is, I think, considerably 
more hardened and flattened beneath than that of other birds ; and the reason of 
this peculiarity, and of the shortened tarsi, would seem to be to allow the bird to 
rest its weight upon the rump and tarsi ; for the vast size of the bill probably dis- 
turbs the equilibrium, and will not permit this bird to perch at ease, as other birds 
do, with legs straightened and resting on the feet. 
The colour of the plumage has already been stated in a summary way- It is 
fitting, however, to he more, particular upon that head. The discomposed, wiry 
feathers of the head, neck, and body beneath, are perfect black : the remainder of 
the plumage, or that of the entire back, wings, and tail, (with the exceptions to be 
immediately noted,) also black, but reflecting with the aid of a strong light, a deep 
blue gloss, and sometimes, but seldom, a deep green one. The third, fourth, 
fifth, sixth, and seventh quills of the wings, for about three inches from their points 
upwards, are pure white ; and so likewise is the terminal third, and more of the 
tail. The naked skin round the eyes and base of the bill is a rich light blue : the 
bag depending from the throat, bright scarlet. Of the. eyes, the sides are red ; the 
pupils black. The bill is white, with a greenish yellow tinge, and the ribs of the up- 
per mandible black. The feet are dark brown, approaching to black. The figure of 
the bird is infinitely various in various attitudes. The familiar posture is a squat, 
with the neck feathers ruffled out, the neck retracted within 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 Jt 
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 advantage, mark him when dressing his plumage with the tine 
