HORNBILLS. 
Living examples of these remarkable birds (the con- 
cave-casqued hornbills, Buceros hicornis) Avere perhaps 
never before 1881 brought to Europe in the adult state. 
They are natives of the Indian islands, and some of the 
large species are confined to Sumatra, Borneo, Malacca and 
Africa. Some of these strange-looking, heavy, and clumsy 
birds feed, principally, on fruit of various kinds, while 
others occasionally catch insects, small birds, reptiles and 
mammals. The voice in most of the species is loud and 
most discordant, the flight is heavy and laboured, and the 
noise produced by the Avings Avhile in the air can be 
heard at a great distance. Although possessed of enormous 
bills, these great birds are, in confinement, extremely 
gentle, and become very tame and attached to those Avho 
feed and caress them. 
HORNBILL STORY. 
One of the funny things that are from time to time told 
to me, was related by Captain van Diependre of the s.s. 
Baron Osy. At the animal sale at AntwerjD, Jamrach 
bought a large ground hornbill, Avhich the captain brought 
to London for him ; on its arrival, Jamrach looked into 
the basket containing the bird, and exclaimed, “My Got, the 
birt haf lost his pill,” and sure enough the loAver mandible 
Avas gone. Upon referring to the captain he recollected 
319 
