Zoological Illustrations Volume Iii Part 22

_Rostrum elongatum, cra.s.sum, inane, deflexum, marginibus obtuse crenatis, epithemate inani, forma vario, in mandibulam superiorem imposito. Nares basales, ovatae_, (_lingua brevis, angusta, acuta_.

Illiger.) _Pedes gressorii._

Bill elongated, thick, hollow, deflexed, the margins obtusely crenated, with excrescences of various forms placed on the upper mandible.

Nostrils basal, oval. Tongue short, narrow, pointed. Feet gressorial.

Generic Types. _B. Rhinoceros_, _bicornis_. Linn.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

_B. niger, abdomine, stria utrinque occipitali, apiceque rectricium albis; rostro subcristato, (carinato,) rubro._ Shaw.

Black Hornbill, with the abdomen, stripe on each side of the nape, and tip of the tail white. Bill slightly crested, (carinated,) and red.

Le Calao Couronne male. _Le Vaill. Ois. d'Af._ _vol._ v. _p._ 117.

_pl._ 234.

Buceros coronatus, Coronated Hornbill. _Shaw in Gen. Zool._ 8. _p._ 35.

The bills of these birds present a more uncouth appearance than even those of the Toucans; many species having k.n.o.bs or excrescences which seem to grow out of the bill itself, and give a strange appearance to the bird. The whole tribe are natives only of the tropical parts of Africa and Asia; feeding on animal substances, either living or dead.

Le Vaillant discovered this bird in Caffraria; congregating in flocks of near 500, along with crows and vultures, over the remains of slaughtered elephants. It frequents forests, perching on high, and generally withered trees; it likewise destroys insects.

The specimen now before me is about the size of a magpie; the white collar only surrounds the back of the head, and is not well defined; the carinated process on the bill ends _abruptly_, and not _gradually_, as seen in Le Vaillant's figure; the margins are obtusely crenated, the tail even, and the two middle feathers entirely black.

Pl. 179

[Ill.u.s.tration]

MUSCIPETA labrosa,

_Red-lipped Flycatcher._

GENERIC CHARACTER.--See Pl. 116.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

_M. nitide nigra; rictu labroso, rubro; cruribus infra genua plumatis._

Glossy black; gape margined by a red skin; legs feathered beyond the knees.

This bird, though unattractive in its colours, is nevertheless very remarkable. It may be almost said to have _lips_; for round the gape, at each angle of the mouth, is a narrow loose skin; perfectly naked, and rather projecting. This singularity is increased by its colour in the live bird; which, by a note attached to the specimen, is stated to be of a beautiful red. It seems a species. .h.i.therto unknown, and was found near the Great Fish River of Southern Africa.

The figure is rather less than the natural size; the whole plumage deep black; glossed with bluish green in every part but the quill and tail feathers; the quills inside are grey, margined with olive; the first of these is very short, the second and third shorter than the fourth, and the two next are nearly of equal length. The tail has ten feathers, and is even, except the two outer pair, which are progressively shorter. The bill rather thick and strong, the culmine not very apparent, the upper mandible strongly notched, the under but slightly; the nostrils are hid by thickset inc.u.mbent feathers, mixed with hairs; these cover the aperture, which is rather large, round, and encircled by a narrow membrane. The legs are very short, the three fore-toes united as far as the first joint, the hind-toe short; the claws of all are small, and the sole of the foot perfectly flat, like the Bee-eaters. I have been minute in noting these characters, because, although the bird will stand at present in the great family of the Flycatchers, there is no doubt they will hereafter be divided into distinct groups.

Pl. 180

[Ill.u.s.tration]

t.u.r.dUS vociferans,

_Calling Thrush._

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

_T. cinereus, infra ferrugineus; temporibus auribusque nigris; caudae rotundatae pennis mediis nigris, lateribus ferrugineis._

Cinereous, beneath ferruginous; ears and sides of the head black; tail rounded, middle feathers black, lateral feathers ferruginous.

Le Reclammeur. _Le Vaill. Ois. d'Af._ _tom._ 3. _p._ 33, _pl._ 104.

I can find no account of this bird in any writer besides Le Vaillant, who discovered it during his travels in Southern Africa. He says the note of the male bird is loud and melodious, and is heard in the morning and evening from the highest branches of lofty trees; the s.e.xes being usually seen together. Le Vaillant relates an amusing anecdote, which well ill.u.s.trates the peculiar note of the male:--One of his Dutch Hottentots, by name Piet, having shot a female, its mate continued to fly around him, uttering its cry, which so much resembled the Dutch words of _Piet myn vrow_, (or, '_Peter_--my wife,') that the poor lad (perfectly astonished) took to his heels, and vowed never more to handle a gun.

Length seven inches and a half; the upper plumage is dark cinereous: on each side the head is a stripe of black, which encircles the eye, and forms a patch on the ears: the whole of the under plumage is clear ferruginous yellow or bright buff colour; the rump and lateral tail feathers the same, the middle pair being entirely black; the next pair has likewise a narrow margin of the same colour: quills and wing-covers dusky brown, with pale cinereous margins. Tail rounded: legs pale: irides hazel: bill rather small and black, compressed the whole length, and having weak bristles at its base.

This bird obviously belongs to the Thrushes; but as I have not yet defined the extent of the genus to my own satisfaction, I refrain at present from proposing its characters.

Pl. 181

[Ill.u.s.tration]

VOLUTA Pusio,

_Dwarf Volute._