THE TOK.
The TOK (Rhynchaceros erythrorhynchus), a species inhabiting a large portion of Africa, is of a reddish grey upon the mantle and dirty white on the under side; the head and throat are greyish white; the wing-covers black, spotted with yellowish white on the inner web, with the exception of the innermost, which is white on the outer and brownish grey on the inner web; the two centre tail-feathers are a dull grey, the rest are black and white. The eye is deep brown, the beak blood-red, with a dark patch at the base of the lower mandible, the feet are brownish grey. This species is seventeen inches and three-quarters long, and twenty-two broad; the wing measures six inches and a half and the tail seven inches and a half. The female is similarly coloured, but considerably smaller than her mate.
The Tok is commonly met with in all the forests of Abyssinia, Eastern Soudan, and Cordofania, and occurs, we believe, throughout the whole of the wooded portions of Central, Western, and Southern Africa. Occasionally we have noticed it living among the wooded portions of the steppes, and have seen it in large numbers upon the lofty trees that abound in the river valleys. According to Heuglin, it is found upon the mountains at an altitude of seven thousand feet above the sea. Like other Hornbills, it is a true tree-bird, and but rarely descends to the ground, except when the supply of fruit and berries upon which it principally subsists falls short. Certain trees are usually selected as favourite resting-places, and upon them it perches with the utmost regularity, taking possession of the highest branches, upon which it sways itself to and fro, varying the entertainment from time to time by hopping clumsily from bough to bough. Its flight somewhat resembles that of the Woodpecker, and is produced by a series of rapid strokes, by means of which the bird rises quickly into the air to a certain height, from whence it precipitately descends, with the head downwards, in a series of curves. This process is repeated many successive times, the tail meanwhile being alternately spread and closed. The cry of the Tok, which is supposed to be represented by its name, is usually reiterated with great persistence and such rapidity as frequently to have almost the effect of one sound prolonged for a minute at a time, each note being accompanied by a duck of the head that gives a most absurd effect to the whole performance, as, owing to the quickness of utterance in which the bird indulges as it becomes excited, it is compelled to exert itself to the utmost, in order that the bow and the cry may be simultaneous. In disposition this species exhibits all the curiosity and keenness of observation possessed by the Raven, and, like that noisy bird, never fails to betray the presence of any unusual object to all its feathered companions by the loudness of its warning cries, which appear to be uttered solely for their benefit, for the Tok itself boldly darts down upon even the larger birds of prey, and grievously torments the leopard of its native forests by harrying it during its search for food. The stomachs of such of these birds as we examined contained only fruits, seeds, and insects, but it is probable that they also plunder nests and devour small quadrupeds. Heuglin mentions having seen a nearly-allied species on a piece of carrion, but whether it was employed in consuming it or merely in gleaning the flies from its surface he was unable to ascertain. The Arabs state that the Tok deposits its eggs in holes in trees, at the commencement of the rainy season.
The TWO-HORNED HORNBILLS (Dichoceros), as the Indian representatives of this family are called, are recognised by the large, high, broad appendage, divided into two portions in front, which covers a considerable part of the forehead, and extends over one-third of the beak.
THE HOMRAY.
The HOMRAY, or GREAT TWO-HORNED HORNBILL (Dichoceros bicornis), is principally black; the throat, tips of the upper tail-covers, the lower tail-covers, and a spot on the wing, the base of the primaries, the extremities of all the quills and entire tail-feathers, with the exception of a broad black band near the tip, are white; occasionally the feathers of the throat and wings have a yellowish shade. The eye is scarlet, the upper mandible and its appendage red, shading into yellow, the latter black at its extremity; the lower portion of the beak is yellow, tipped with red; a dark brown line passes along the centre of the bill, which is greyish black at its base; the bare skin around the eyes is black, and the foot deep brown. This species is four feet long, the wing measures from nineteen to twenty, and the tail seventeen inches; the beak ten inches; its appendage is seven inches and a half long and three inches and a half broad.
The Homray frequents the high-standing woods of India, from its extreme south to the Himalayas, and from the Malabar coast to Assam, Burmah, and the Malay peninsula; it is also occasionally seen on the island of Trincomalee.
"This large Hornbill," says Jerdon, "is found in the forests of Malabar, from the extreme south up to Goa, and also in the Himalayas; I have not seen it in any other of the forest regions. It is also common in Assam, Burmah, the Malay peninsula, and in Sumatra. I have seen it but rarely in the forests of Malabar below the Ghâts. It is generally met with on the sides of the hills. I have seen it up to five thousand feet on the eastern slope of the Neilgherries; and on the Himalayas, near Darjeeling, at a height of from three thousand to five thousand feet. Hodgson states that it tenants the lower ranges of hills contiguous to the plains. It is sometimes seen in pairs, occasionally in small flocks, generally keeping to the thickets and jungle or to lofty trees, but is sometimes to be found seated on a high tree in an open space; the same writer says that it seems to prefer the most open and cultivated spots in the wilds it inhabits, these spots being usually limited to the banks of rivers. This naturalist must have seen many more of this species than I have done, for he speaks of twenty to thirty birds being commonly found in the same vicinity, and six or eight on the same tree. I never saw a flock of more than five or six, either in the south of India or in the Sikim Himalayas, and even that very rarely. It is in general rather a silent bird, making merely a deep but very loud croak. Occasionally, however, when a party are together, they utter most loud, harsh, and discordant cries. Hodgson says that the clamour made by a wounded bird is perfectly amazing. 'I cannot,' says he, 'liken this vehement vociferation to anything but the braying of a jackass; its power is extraordinary, and is the consequence of an unusually osseous structure of the rings of the trachea.' The Homray flies with more repeated flappings of its wings than the other Hornbills, only in general sailing just before alighting on a tree. The noise of its wings can be heard more than a mile distant. Like the others, it builds in holes in large trees; the male builds the female in, by covering the hole where she incubates with mud (Baker says with its ordure), leaving only room for her bill to protrude and receive food from his. This, Major Trikell, whose words I quote, has seen with his own eyes. Mason, in his work on Burmah, makes the following statement:—'The female must sit during her incubation, for if she breaks through the enclosure her life pays the forfeit; but, to compensate for the loss of freedom, her spirited mate is ever on the watch to gratify his dainty mistress, who compels him to bring all her viands unbroken, for if a fig or other fruit be injured she will not touch it.' This account, I must own, I regard as a native story, and improbable. Fruit forms the only food of this, as of other Indian Hornbills, and it always seizes it whole, tossing it in the air before swallowing it, and catching it again in its mouth. Mr. Elliot remarks of this species that a small sac is placed at the root of the tail, in which is a bundle or pencil of short bristles, forming a brush, from whence exudes a yellow oily secretion, with which the birds appear to dress their white wing-feathers. When first shot the yellow colour comes off the bill in considerable quantities, and the only parts of the body besides that are stained with this colour are the white wing-spot, the rump, and the small crest at the back of the head, this latter but slightly. The yellow substance continued to exude from the brush long after my prepared specimen was dry. The Garuda, as this species is also called, is sacred to Vishnu among the inhabitants of the forests."
