INSESSORES. G27 



feathers of the tail strongly barred, as in the last, and the 

 basal portion of the next tliree feathers on each side rufous- 

 chestnut, which colour must, I presume, show very con- 

 spicuously when the bird is flying, or when sitting on a 

 tree with its tail spread. I have specimens of this species 

 from South Australia and Moreton Bay, and I believe I 

 may state that it is the Common Bronze Cuckoo of Tas- 

 mania, but of this I am not certain ; the chances are that 

 both it and the L. lucidus is found there. After a careful 

 examination I have come to the conclusion that the stout- 

 billed bird is the C. 2:)lagosus of Latham, and that the narrow- 

 billed one is identical with the Javan species to which 

 Horsfield gave the appellation of C. hasalls. Having the 

 type specimen of C. basalis, New Zealand skins to which 

 the specific term lucidus was originally applied, and examples 

 of C. plagosus, wherewith to compare it, I am the more cer- 

 tain of being correct in these conclusions. 



Plaving said thus much about these little parasitic Cuckoos, 

 I leave to the rising ornithologists of Australia the task of in- 

 vestigating the subject, and of informing the scientific world 

 whether there be any differences in the eggs of the two 

 birds, and the character of the plumage of their nestlings. 

 If their first dress be not nearly uniform, and destitute of 

 any bars on the throat and under surface, then there is another 

 species yet to be described. 



Crown of the head and nape bronzy brown ; over the eye 

 a stripe of dull white ; feathers of the back, wing-coverts, 

 upper tail-coverts, and two centre tail-feathers dark shining 

 green, edged with grey; wings brown, glossed with green 

 and margined with grey ; outer tail-feather on each side 

 alternately and broadly barred with blackish brown and 

 white ; the three rest on each side rufous chestnut at the 

 base, passing into green towards the extremity, and ending 

 in blackish brown spotted with white ; ear-coverts and sides 

 of the neck brown ; under surface buffy white, mottled with 



9, c o 



