The length of it, from the utmoft gibbofity behind to the tip, in
a fpecimen now by me, is eight inches. The bill is nearly lirait,
and, as far as the real mandibles reach, of a conical figure ; the top
of the upper is cqntinued upwards into a gibbofity, of a form al-
moft fquare, making the bill at this part four inches and a half in
depth ; this is rounded behind, and almoft flat in front ; the front
is a true bone, of an inch in thicknefs, the Tides of which may be
readily feen through, as they are very thin and tranfparent, and,
with the half of the bill next the bafe, of a deep red ; the bony
front, and end half of the bill, yellowifh white : the noftrils, or at
leaft what appear to me as fuch, are juft above the eyes, in the
hollow; and from them begins a wrinkled ridge, which goes
quite acrofs the gibbous part to the front : the general colour of
this bird fhould feem to be black,,as the few feathers which are
attached to the back*part of the head, both in my fpecimen and
that figured in the Planches enluminées, are of that colour.
If I conjefture right, this bird may have fome powerful enemy,
to which it may at times oppofe this bony thick front, by way of
defence^ as it is certainly capable of great refiftance. I am led
to think this, from the bill in my poflèflion, which appears to
have fuffered by this means; for the horny part is beaten off in
feveral places.
I have feen the bony front of this bill made into a fnuff-hox, of
which it formed the top.
Buceros bicornis, Lin. B y jli. p. 153, N° 1.
I*e Calao des Philippines, Bri/. orn. iv. p. 368. 3ST° 2*-
1 ------ ----------- fiuf. oif. vii, p. 157,
Rhinoceros avis, ima varietas, Will. orn. t. 17. i>
Br. Mu/. Lev. Mu/. The bill.
T HE body is the fize of a large Fowl: colour above black,
beneath white. The bill is very large, being two inches
and three quarters thick at the bale, and nine inches in length;
the colour of it is reddilh, but the bale of the lower mandible
black: on the top of the bill is an additional horny fubftance,
fix inches in length, and three in breadth, reaching backwards
further than the eyes, fomewhat concave on the top, and projeft-
ing forwards as it were into two angles ; the hinder part is
rounded, and reaches to the hind head; this is of the fame colour
as the b ill: the noftrils are placed at the bafe of the bill,
beneath this laft horny fubftance: on the quills is a white fpot:
the ten middle feathers of the tail are black; the outer ones
white : the legs are greenilh.
Inhabits the Philippine IJles. Linnaeus fays, China, Stratfund;
and likewife adds, that the tail is pretty long.
Calao, vel Cayao, Phil. Tran/, vol. xxiii. p. 1394
T f p e c i e s is about the fize of a Hen. The bill is fomewhat
bent, ferrated, diaphanous, and of the colour of cinnabar, and
near feven inches long; the mandibles are equal, an inch and half
* There defcribcd by the Rev, J , G. Camel, a refident in the Philippine IJles.
Y J broad.
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PHILIPPINE.
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V a r . A.
D e s c r ip t io n
Buceros