ON THE classification OF BIRDS. 
f)4 
but that its feet should no longer exhibit the scansorial 
structure. Now, there is good reason to believe such a 
bird is in existence, although at present only known to 
modern writers, by a drawing executed in I ndia, in the col- 
lection of Mr. Smith. Both Dr. Latham and Dr. Shaw, 
describe this bird under the name of the crimson hornbill; 
and we consider that the figure {fig. 151.) published by 
the latter carries internal evidence of its authenticity. 
In short, we see in this bird the crimson colour, the 
long tail, and the dorsal collar so prevalent in the genus 
Pteroglosms, joined to a miniature toucan’s bill, with a 
distinct band at the base, like the llaniphastofi tucanns, 
yet with the feet of a hornbill. That this bird, and 
probably other annectant species, will hereafter be dis- 
covered in the vast and stiU unexplored regions of Cen- 
tral Asia, we have no occasion to doubt. 
(108.) The hornbills are a small family, of which, per- 
haps, the typical form is now only known; they are conse- 
quently as much isolated as the toucans and the parrots. 
They are gregarious, noisy birds, generally of a very 
large size, and are restricted to the Old World. They are 
omnivorous, feeding both on animals and vegetables: 
some, however, seem only to partake of the latter food ; 
while others, upon the authority of Le Vaillant, feed 
upon carrion. Their bills are enormously large ; and 
generally furnished with an appendage or excrescence on 
their top, the use of which is unknown ; nor has the 
