AVIAN GENUS CHRYSOCOCCYX 5 



while it is recorded that its flight recalls that of these latter birds, 

 . . ," While not defending or criticizing Mathews' assumed evolu- 

 tionary paths, I cite his statement as further evidence of the close 

 relationship of osculans with the glossy cuckoos. 



The fact is the genera Cuculiis, Cacomantis, and Chrysococcyx are 

 ancient, and, as so often happens in such categories, some have 

 differentiated in the direction of the others, making it very difficult 

 at this late date to distinguish between original similarities or differ- 

 ences and later convergences or divergences. This situation was 

 noticed by Mathews (1918, p. 384), who was a generic "splitter" 

 but who was moved to write that the gradation of the three groups 

 "is very peculiar, as it is marked in most particulars, size, coloration, 

 length of tail, etc.; yet it is possible we see here again instances of 

 convergence, as often met with when dealing Mith ancient groups. . . . 

 The Bronze Cockoos have been continually separated from Caco- 

 mantis on account of their bronze coloration and smaller size; but 

 here again some species are dull, while it is obvious that the bronze 

 species are separable into groups and have evolved more or less 

 independently. . , ." Mathews then considered that the African 

 species, which he had looked at only casually, were quite distinct 

 from the Indo-Australian ones, and he assumed that they were 

 derived from a different source, a conclusion I consider improbable. 

 He did conclude that the Malaysian-Australian forms were a complex 

 assemblage and that the best guide to their affinities was to be de- 

 rived from their plumage changes. Unfortunately, he went on to 

 divide what is here considered one genus, Chrysococcyx, into no less 

 than five genera, Alisocalius, Chalcococcyx, Lamprococcyx, Neochal- 

 cites, and Chrysococcyx. Had he studied the African forms more thor- 

 oughly, he might well have divided Chrysococcyx into two genera, 

 recognizing Lampromorpha as did many of the African specialists of 

 his time. 



Peters (1940) apparently made no careful study of these cuckoos, 

 and he followed the then-current usage by recognizing Misocalius for 

 osculans, Chysococcyx for the African forms, and Chalcites for the Indo- 

 Australian species. Berger (1955), on the other hand, investigated the 

 anatomy (pterylosis, mng and leg myology, syrinx, liver, and intestinal 

 caecum) of a number of species of glossy cuckoos, fortunately in- 

 cluding representatives of three genera (as then recognized) — Chrys- 

 ococcyx (cuprevs), Lampromorpha (Haas and caprius), and Chalcites 

 (lucidus), and he concluded that all were congeneric. He noted that 

 "anatomical similarities further suggest that cupreus and Haas are 

 more closely related to each other than to either caprius or lucidus. 

 Though lucidus possesses certain anatomical features exhibited by 

 caprius (especially the M. iliotibialis and the place of insertion of the 



