the Hijlory of A N 1 M A L Ss 3 83 
under the name of Roftrata viridans roftro partim nigro, partim ruhro ; and Linnius 
has borrowed the fame name. Scarce any other of the naturalifts have fo much as 
mentioned it* 
B U C E R o a 
T H E beak of the Buceros has, towards it’s bafe, a large gibboiity rifing above 
the reft of it’s furface, and turning backwards at the point 5 and the upper chap 
of the beak is, in this genus, confiderably longer than the under. 
Buceros niger capite majore . 
The black Buceros , with a great head\ 
%\)t 3Un& 
This is an extreamly lingular bird j it is of the bignefs of a well-grown pullet, and 
in fhape fomewhat refembles the crow-kind, whence, and from it’s fize, it has been 
called the Indian Raven : the head is remarkably large, as indeed it had need to bej 
for the fupporting fo enormous a beak j it is rounded at the fides, but depreffed on the 
"crown : the eyes are not large ; their iris is bluifh, with a tinge of brown, and the 
pupil black: the beak is more furprifing in lize and fhape than even that of the fe- 
veral fpecies of the former genus. It is about nine inches long, and, in the largeft 
part, at leaft three and a half in diameter: it is nearly ftraight, or but little bent; 
the upper chap is confiderably the largeft, and is very fharp and firm at the point, 
where it is protended over the other, and is not bent much down in that part: on the 
upper part, toward the bafe, there grows a very large gibbofity or protuberance : it is 
not lefs than three inches in length, or an inch and a half in diameter ; it is affixed all 
the way down to the back of the beak at it’s bafe, but at the point it turns up, and 
bends backward, forming in the whole fomewhat of the appearance of a horn grow¬ 
ing down to the beak to it’s extremity, and there turning up it’s obtufe point: the 
colour of this remarkable beak is a pale red, variegated with white; thefe colours are 
difpofed without any regularity, but the red takes up the greater ffiare. 
The body of the bird, as well as it’s head, neck, rump, and tail, are of a deep 
and very gloffy black, without the leaft tinge of any other colour : the wings are very 
long, and the tail is but fhort : the legs are long, robuft, and of a deep bluiffi-black 3 
the toes are long, and the claws are remarkably long and fharp. 
It is a native of the Eaft Indies, and of fome parts of China and Tartary, but it 
is a very fhy bird. It lives remote from cities, and ufually in the thick parts of forefts, 
where there run brooks or large rivers through them j it is moft frequently feen among 
the fedge on the banks of thefe feeding on frogs and other water infects. Few of the 
writers on birds have tolerably defcribed it. Barrelier has figured it under the name of 
Hydrocorax niger. We have the beak frequently brought over to us as a curiofity, and 
kept in the mufasums of our collectors, under the name of the beak of the Indian Ra^ 
ven 5 and fome years fince the fluffed fkin of one was brought to us, though much 
injured by accidents in the voyage. 
Buceros cceruleo nigrefcens capite minore. 
The bluijh-black Buceros 3 with a fmaller head* 
It is not to be underftood by the name of this fpecies, but it’s head is fmall, in 
proportion to the body ; fuch an immenfity of beak as all the fpecies of this genus 
have, could not be carried, without a head fufficiently big for the fupport of it; but 
as the head in the other is remarkably large, in proportion to the body, that of this 
fpecies is no more than proportioned to it j the bird is of the bignefs of our. raven ; 
the head is rounded, and but very little depreffed on the crown 3 the eyes are fmall, 
and their iris is bluifh : the beak is about feven inches long j and, in the largeft part 
that is about the middle of "the gibbofity, it is near three inches in diameter : the up- 
per 
