CULKOOS. 99 



Drongos [Dicrurus) (see p. 133), in whose nests they are said to place 

 their eggs. Tlie smallest members of the group are the beautiful little 

 species of ('hrysococciju- found in the Old World, and of these the 

 Emerald Cuckoo (C. smarmjdineus) (1387) of Africa is the most 

 lovely. The hosts selected by these birds are Suu-birds and Finches. 

 In America the subfamily is represented by tlie genus Cocci/zk.s-, the 

 members of which are not parasitic but build their own nests, and 

 are said to be )nost affectionate parents. The Yellow-billed Cuckoo 

 (C. fimeric(iiins) (1391) has on several occasions visited Great J5ritaiu. 

 The Indian Koel {Eudyiiamis honoruta) (1396) represents a fruit-eating 

 Oriental genus in which the plumage of the sexes is unlike, the male 

 being black and the female brown, variously barred, mottled and spotted 

 with black and white. The eggs are greenish, blotched with grey 

 and brown, and are placed in the nests of Crows. Lastly we must 

 mention the extraordinary Channel-bill Cuckoo {Scijthrops norte- 

 hollandue) (1398), with its great grooved bill, ranging from Celebes to 

 Australia. This bird places its eggs in the nests of the Piping Crows. 

 The Crow-Pheasants or Lark-heeled Cuckoos {Ceiifropodiiue) include 

 but a single genus, Ceuiropus (1392-1394), including more than thirty 

 species ranging from Africa and Southern Asia to Australia. They are 

 not parasitic, but make a large globular nest, generally with an entrance 

 in the side, and may often be seen walking on the ground. The Common 

 Coucal (C. sinensis-) (1392) and several allied forms are exhibited. 



The third subfamily, Phcenicuphnlixc, includes a number of non- 

 l»arasitic forms, with very inferior powers of flight, inhabiting the thick 

 bush of the Old and New Worlds, and spending much of their time on 

 the ground. To this group belong the various American species of 

 Saio-ot/tera (1399-1400), IL/cforiiis (1401), and Piaya (1402-1404), 

 locally known as " Rainbirds " ; the Malkohas of the genera Zmic/osfomus 

 (1407), Rhoijodytcs (1407 a), P/ioe,iirop/wes (1408), R/Kuiijdwcoccyx 

 (1409-1410), Rhiiiortha (1405), and Taccocua (1408) from Eastern Asia 

 and the neighbouring islands ; the remarkable Philippine species Dasy. 

 laphus supercUiosiis (1412) and Lepidoyrammus cmninyi (1413) ; and the 

 various species of JMadagascar Cuckoos [Coua), of which the blue 

 species C. caiulea (1415) is a striking example. 



The fourth subfamily, Neomorp/dna, includes the large and handsome 

 Pheasant-Cuckoo [Carpocuccyx radia.tus) (1416) from Borneo, the well- 

 known Road-runner or Chaparral-cock [Geococcy.e mexieanus) (1418), 

 from the thinly wooded or barren plains of South-western N. America, 

 and one or two other New World forms. 



Diplopk'rus ,nei;ius (1419) and Dromococcijx pImsiaiieUus (1420) 

 represent the fifth subfamily Diploptunna', found in Central and South 

 America. 



Lastly the L'rotDphayime, also a New World group, includes the 



