A GAY DECEIVER 203 



opponent of those zoologists who pin their faith to the 

 all-sufficiency of natural selection to account for evolu- 

 tion in the organic world. 



The drongo cuckoo is as like the king-crow as one 

 pea is to another. This bird, says Blanford, " is remark- 

 able for its extraordinary resemblance in structure and 

 colourisation to a drongo or k'lng-crow (Dzcrurus). The 

 plumage is almost entirely black, and the tail forked 

 owing to the lateral rectrices being turned outwards." 

 Blanford further declares that the bird, owing to its 

 remarkable likeness to the king-crow, is apt to be over- 

 looked. 



This being so, it is quite unnecessary for me to 

 describe the drongo cuckoo ; it is the image of a king- 

 crow. But stay, perhaps there are some who do 

 not know this last bird by sight. Such should make its 

 acquaintance. They will find it sitting on the next 

 telegraph wire they pass — a sprightly black bird, much 

 smaller than the crow (with which it has no connection), 

 possessing a long, forked tail. Every now and again it 

 makes little sallies into the air after the " circling gnat," 

 or anything else insectivorous that presents itself. 

 When you see such a bird you may safely bet on its 

 being a king-crow ; the off-chance of its proving a 

 drongo cuckoo may be neglected by all but the ultra- 

 cautious. 



Not much is known of the habits of this cuckoo ; but 

 what we do know shows that, sometimes, at any rate, it 

 makes the king-crow act as its nursemaid. Mr. Davison 

 saw two king-crows feeding a young Surnicidus. The 

 consequence is that every book on natural history trots 



