NEW BRITISH CUCKOO. 7 



the catalogue of our natives. Should you wish for any further particu- 

 lars on the subject, or deem this notice worthy of acknowledgment, I 

 shall have much pleasure in hearing from you, and have the honour 

 to be, 



Sir, your most obedient servant, 



ROBERT BALC,.* 

 Dublin Castle, 20/A Oct. 1832. 



Cuckoo, reduced by one third from the original drawing 1 . 



DESCRIPTION OF THE CUCKOO, FROM THE COLOURED 

 DRAWING. 



BY EDWARD BLYTH, ESQ. 



TOTAL length, from the tip of the bill to the end of the tail, eleven 

 inches. Bill longer and rather more curved than in the common 

 cuckoo 5 the upper mandible of a dark horn colour, black at the tip, 

 and yellowish b'rown at the base ; the lower, yellowish brown, tipped 

 with black. The head, back of the neck, and all the upper parts, of a 

 uniform olive brown colour, inclining to red on the upper sides of the 

 quill feathers ; the whole under-parts of a pale ashy-brown, darker 

 about the breast, and inclining to buff on the thighs and under tail 

 coverts. Under surface of the wings, pale buff, making a consider- 

 able contrast with the colour of the quill feathers, which are underneath 

 of a brownish chesnut tint. The legs and feet of a dark ashy-brown ; 

 the shank rather longer in proportion than in the common cuckoo. 

 Tail, wedge-shaped, and about five inches in length ; the outer feather 

 but three inches ; the second, four inches and a quarter ; and the third, 



* I shall feel myself obliged and honoured by any farther particulars respecting 

 these birds, or any other subject, from so valuable a correspondent. EDIT. 



