® IT c :e :a o s c a f a ' t t
T a b . XLIV.
BUCEROS CAVATUS.
T his noble species of Buceros, already described as a native of some parts of India, but not liaving hitlierto
been known as an inhabitant of the Himalaya, is found equally in Java and most of the islands of the Eastern
Archipelago. It may be observed that those specimens o f the species which have hcen received from tlie
mountains slightly exceed in size those which are natives of the lower districts around them. Tfie food of the
Buceros catafus, like th a t of other Honibills, consists of fruits, berries, flesli, and even carrion ; in short, it
may be considered as strictly omnivorous. The conformation of the feet in those birds leads tlicin to resort
much to tr e e s ; the broad and fleshy jialni, which, as it were, lines the interior of the three strong and partly
united front toes, giving them great power of grasping, and agility in leaping from branch to branch.
The throat, car-coverts, circle round the eye, and a narrow band a t the occipital edge of the protuberance
o f the bealc, arc black ; the neck dirty straw-colour; the feathers of the back of the neck are elongated ; the
body and wings are b la c k ; the gre a te r coverts and quill-feathers being tipped with white ; the tliiglis, upper
and under tail-coi'erts white, as is the tail also, with the exception of a broad black band about three inches
from the tij); the beak is yellowish, inclining to scarlet a t the tip, the under mandible being black a t the
b a s e ; the tarsi are black.
The figure is half the natural size.