DIPLOPTERUS.—DROMOCOCCYX. 541 
as Diplopterus excellens, on the ground of its being larger than the southern form, more 
rufescent on the back, the upper tail-coverts cinnamon-rufous with a median black 
stripe, purer white beneath, the breast slightly rufescent and without greyish tint, its 
bill longer and higher, the tarsus longer, &c. These characters, so far as the plumage 
is concerned, point to a not very old bird in freshly-moulted feather, and do not seem 
of much weight when a large series of specimens is examined, such as now exists in the 
British Museum. The difference of size, too, is unimportant, so that it is not now 
deemed necessary to separate the Mexican bird. 
The resort of this Cuckoo is scrubby woods, where it lives mostly on or near the 
ground. One we shot near Duefias was in such a place, and rose rapidly from the 
ground, and flew swiftly away on being disturbed. Mr. Nutting shot one out of a 
hedge in an open field near San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua!°, Mr. Cherrie says it is 
rare near San José, Costa Rica, where it is a straggler, but common at low elevations 
down to the shores of the Pacific !°. 
Mr. Chapman? found D. nevius to be common in the island of Trinidad, but a 
rather shy bird, living in and near thickets. He says it passes much of its time on the 
ground, but frequently ascends to the topmost branches of the smaller trees to call. 
Its calls are also uttered on the ground. They are given more or less throughout the 
day, and are among the most pleasing and characteristic bird-notes to be heard at the 
place where he stayed. ‘They are of two kinds—one being heard quite as frequently 
as the other. Both are in a minor key, the first consisting of two notes, the second 
half a tone lower than the first. ‘The second call is translated by the negroes as chloé, 
chloé, chloé-dead, chloé-dead.. On one occasion, whilst watching one of these birds 
walking over some recently burnt ground, Mr. Chapman was surprised at a most 
singular action on its part. The bird walked rapidly for a few yards, then stopping 
raised and lowered its crest, and turned the black feathers of the bastard wing forwards 
until they pointed towards the breast. This was repeated several times. 
We are not aware of anything being on record respecting the nesting-habits or the 
egos of this species. 
DROMOCOCCYX. 
Dromococcyx, Wied, Beitr. Naturg. Bras. iv. p. 351 (1832); Shelley, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xix. 
p- 425. 
With the upper tail-coverts long and largely developed as in Diplopterus, this genus 
differs in having a much straighter, flatter, and more slender bill, the nostrils being 
long narrow slits at the lower edge of the nasal fossa ; the tail-feathers are much wider 
and the tail itself larger, and the upper coverts very fully developed and reaching to 
the tips of the longest rectrices. The tarsi are moderately long, and the tibie clothed 
with short feathers. 
The general colour of the upper plumage is dark brown, relieved on the wings with 
fulvous spots; the under plumage is white, with spots on the breast. 
