Lieut. Burgess on the Habits of some Indian Birds. Q7 



the Deccan, also in the thickly-wooded garden-land near the canton- 

 ments of Ahmednuggur. In this latter spot I have often watched 

 them in the hope of securing one of the richly-coloured red-headed 

 birds. They fly in flocks like Palceornis torquatus, visiting the grain- 

 fields, and carrying off the ears to the neighbouring trees. Their 

 cry is not so loud and harsh as that of their larger brethren, and 

 they may thus be distinguished when not seen. I scarcely ever saw 

 more than two or three red-headed birds amongst a flock of plum- 

 heads. I have not met with the nest or eggs of this species, but 

 from the very immature plumage of young birds which I shot in 

 January, I should say that they breed in November and December. 



Family Cuculid^e. Subfamily Cuculin^. 

 Genus Eudynamys. 



EUDYNAMYS MACULATUS. BlACK CuCKOO Or KoWEEL. 



Not havhig met with the nest and eggs of this cuckoo, I am in- 

 debted to Dr. Jerdon's catalogue for the following note on the sub- 

 ject : — ^' The koweel (as is well known in India) lays its eggs in the 

 nest of the common crow (C. splendens), from which it dislodges 

 the crows' eggs. It is said always to choose this crow's nest. On 

 one occasion I obtained an egg from the female koweel ; it was of a 

 dirty blue colour, marked with some dusky spots." 



Genus Centropus. 

 Centropus philippensis (Cuv.). Lark-heeled Cuckoo. 



This very common cuckoo, called by many Europeans in India 

 "the Malabar Pheasant," is a bird remarkable for its appearance, and 

 peculiarly loud cry. Its bright chestnut wings and long tail render 

 it conspicuous, and from the length of the latter, the name of Phea- 

 sant has doubtless been applied to it. Like others of its kind, it is 

 fond of thickets and hedges, under the latter of which it may often 

 be observed walking about and picking up its food, which consists 

 of lizards, seeds and insects. Though classed in the family of the 

 Cuculidce, this bird differs from Cuculus canorus and Eudynamys 

 maculatus in one marked respect, viz. that it does not deposit its eggs 

 in the nest of another bird. Like the yellow-billed American cuckoo, 

 Coccyzus americanus (Jenyns), it builds its own nest, but whether, 

 as Mr. Yarrell mentions, in the case of the American bird, its egg is 

 ever found in another bird's nest, I cannot say : I never heard of 

 such a case. 



The lark -heeled cuckoo breeds in the spring of the year, as early 

 as January and as late as iVpril. It builds its nest in hedges and 

 trees ; the nest is composed of grass and small twigs. The eggs, 

 generally three in number, are of an opaque white, 1^ iuch in length 

 by 1 inch and y^ths in width. The exterior of the shell is of a 

 peculiarly soft, chalky texture, which soon becomes scratched and 

 stained. 



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