84 BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 



*FAX-TAILED CUCKOO 



(Cacomantis flabelliforviis, Lath.) 

 Male. — Upper surface blue-grey; upper tail coverts similar, 

 with white edges to outer feathers; tail blue-black, all feathers 

 tipped and notched with white, greater on outer feathers, forming 

 incomplete bars; scapulars and wing coverts slightly glossed with 

 green; patch of white on pinion joint; " quills dark brown, with a 

 white patch on their inner webs, forming a diagonal white bar" 

 (B. M. Cat.); sides of the head and chin grey, becoming rufous 

 on the throat; rest of under surface similar, only slightly paler; 

 under wing coverts rufous-buff; irides pale brown; bill black, save 

 base of lower mandible, which is yellowish ; legs and feet yellowish. 

 Dimensions in mm. : — Length, 280; bill, 16; wing, 145; tail, 155; 

 tarsus, 20. 



Female. — Upper surface similar to male; lower surface paler; 

 narrow faint dusky bars on throat and breast. Dimensions in mm. : 

 —Length, 275; bill, 16; wing, 143; tail, 151; tarsus, 20. 



Young. — Upper surface dark brown, mottled with rufous : 

 upper tail coverts tipped with rufous ; tail feathers notched with 

 rufous-buff on outer webs and white on inner ; wings rusty ; throat 

 and chest dusky- white, shaded with rufous; rest of under surface 

 lighter, barred with dark brown. 



E^^s.— Stout oval in shape; texture fine; surface glossy; 

 colour dull white, thickly freckled with minute specks of reddish- 

 brown and purplish-brown ; round the upper quarter is a distinct 

 band of similar markings. Dimensions in mm. of odd examples : — 

 (1) 21.5 X 17, (2) 22.5 x 17.5. 



Breeding Season. — September to December. 

 Geographical Distribution. — Tasmania, King Island, and the 

 whole of the mainland. 



Observations .—This bird is, perhaps, the most plentiful species 

 of Cuckoo fi-equenting our shores. Its rather mournful whistling 

 notes may be heard almost everywhere from early spring to late 

 autumn. It is the first to come and the last to go — in fact, on 

 several occasions I and other observers have seen individuals during 

 the depth of winter. One July I had a specimen brought me, 

 which on skinning proved to be very fat ; its stomach was full of 

 the remains of hairy caterpillars. When perching the Fan-tailed 

 Cuckoo may be observed moving its tail, more or less spread, up 

 and down every few seconds. 



The foster-parents of this Cuckoo, as far as I know, are: — 



Tasmanian Tit (Acantliiza diemenensis) 



Scrub-Tit {Acantliornis magna) 



Blue Wren (Malurus gouldi) 



Brown Scrub-Wren (Sericornis humilis) 



Black-headed Honey-eater {Melithreptus melanocephalns) 



Wood-Swallow (Artamus sordidus) 



Dusky Robin (Petrceca vittata). 



