BUOEROS, Lill. Ste. ; CALA° or HORNBILL. Bill convex, curved, sharp-edged, of large dimensions, serrated at the margins, with a horny protuberance near the base of the upper mandible ; nostrils behind the base of the bill ; the tongue short, and situated at the bottom of the throat. By the lorm of their enormous bill, the birds of this family are allied to the toucans, while their deportment and habits assimilate them to the crows, and the structure of their feet approximates them to the bee-eaters and king-fishers. The large prominence on the upper mandible differs in shape in the different species; and in a few it is wanting. The hornbills feed not only on various berries, and other vegetable substances, but also on many of the smaller ani mals, as mice, birds, &c. though more commonly on in sects, and not even disdaining carrion. They are inhabit ants of the warmer regions of Asia and Africa. Their large bills are not solid, but of a cancellated internal structure. As the process or appendage to this instrument does not exhibit its genuine form till the full growth of the bird, and the difference between the males and females is very considerable, the determination of the species has been at tended with no small degree of difficulty. Buffon has not failed to descant on the mal-conformation of the bill, and on its liability to bruises and fractures; but he was not aware of the fact, that the,,e injuries are annually repaired by an inherent reproductive power, so that even the mis sing serratures are replaced at every moulting. These birds walk little, and awkwardly, and generally perch on trees, especially such as are dead, in the hollows of which they breed.
B. rhinoceros, Lin. ke. ; Rhinoceros Hornbill, Horn ed Indian Raven, or Rhinoceros Bird. Black, tail tip ped with white, beak yellowish, recurved casque red above. General size that of a lien turkey, but more slender in proportion ; extent of wing nearly four feet ; the neck of moderate length ; and the tail slightly cunea ted. The plumage black, but exhibiting, when exposed to a strong light, a bluish gloss; but the lower part of the abdomen and the tail are white. The 1).11 measures
about ten inches in length, and is of a slightly curved form, sharp-pointed, serrated in a somewhat irregular manner on the edges, and furnished at the base of the upper mandible with an extremely large process, con tinued, for a considerable space, in a paralled direction with the bill. and then turned upwards, in a contrary direc tion, in the style of a reverted horn. This appendage, which is eight inches long, and four in width at the base, is divided into two portions by a longitudinal black line. Though apparently a formidable weapon, this singular bill is by no means so in reality ; for Levaillant assures us, that he often put his hand into it, without feeling the slighest pain, though the bird exerted all its endeavours to wound him. The young is destitute of the horn-like excrescence on the bill.
This species occurs in the Philippine islands, in Java, Sumatra, and various countries of India. The indivduals belonging to it have a melancholy wild air, a heavy gait, hop instead of walking, and are of a timid and stupid disposition. In a wild state, they live on flesh and carrion, and are known to accompany the hunters of boars, wild cows, and stags, to pick up the intestines, and other refuse of these animals, which are resigned to them. In Sumatra, when kept in confinement, they are fed on rice and soft meats ; and, in various parts of India, they are domesticated for the purpose of catching rats and mice. When they have got one of the latter, they squeeze it in their bill to soften it, throw it up into the air, and then receive it entire into their capacious gullet. That de scribed by Levaillant never manifested any thing like sprightliness, but when its food was presented, it advanced with extended wings, and uttered a slight scream of joy. It was fed with biscuit steeped in water, flesh, either raw or dressed, rice, &c. When presented with some newly killed small birds, it readily swallowed them entire, after bruising them for some time in its bill.