Nature in the formation of this fingular beak, is not 
yet clearly inveftigated ; it has been fuppofed, (and not 
without a confiderable degree of probability) that the 
birds of this genus, having fome very powerful enemies, 
with which they may have occafional conliidts, are 
provided with this immoderate beak as a detenfive 
weapon. 
In moll of the fpecies, the prominent part on the up¬ 
per mandible is of a ftraight form; but in the prefent 
fpecies it is turned backwards in a moft fingular man¬ 
ner ; and it is from this circumftance that the bird has 
obtained its common title of Rhinoceros-bird. It is a 
native of the Eaft-Indies, and is often found in Suma¬ 
tra and Java, and the Philippine Iflands. It is faid-to 
feed on carrion, and to be particularly fond of the en¬ 
trails of animals. 
This bird is not much inferior in fize to a turkey, and 
its colours are as reprefented in the plate; viz. black 
and white. The beak is about ten inches long, and the 
horn or curved procefs on the upper part, is marked by 
a longitudinal line of black. The upper mandible is 
red at the bafe, and of a whitifh yellow as it approaches 
the tip. The lower one is of a pale colour, with a 
black bafe. 
