Page:Natural History, Birds.djvu/183

170 Upwards of twenty species of this genus are named, which are all natives of Africa, or India and its archipelago. Comparatively little is known of any of them, except so much as may be gained by inspection of their dried skins preserved in museums; though these evidences of their existence were very early objects of curiosity to Europeans, and conspicuously noted in catalogues, as "Horned Ravens," and "Rhinocerot-birds." Bontius, describing one under the name of "Indian Raven" (the Buceros hydrocorax of .), which he met with in the Moluccas, observes, that it walks in the manner of the Crow of our countries, but differs much in disposition from our Crows, inasmuch as it feeds not on carrion, but most especially on nutmegs, devouring them so greedily as to do serious damage. Its flesh is very delicate, and when roasted has an aromatic flavour, evidently derived from its food. Of another species, "the Horned Indian Raven, or Topan, called the Rhinocerot-bird," he says, "This horned bird, as it casts a strong smell, so it hath a foul look, much exceeding the European Raven in bigness. It lives upon carrion and garbage, that is, the carcasses and entrails of animals; and waits upon the hunters who kill wild cattle, boars, and stags, to gorge itself with the offals." Major-General Hardwicke, in his account of Buceros galeatus, ., in the " Linnean Transactions," vol. xiv., thus describes the habits of the Hornbills generally:—"The progressive motion of the birds of this genus, although their feet are formed for walking, is always by jumping or hopping. I have kept several species alive, and they all moved in the same manner. In a state of