224 Mr. T. Ayres on the Ornithology of Transvaal. 



the above^ all of which have exhibited slight remains of im- 

 mature plumage. 



It occasionally happens that yoxing Cuckoos commence 

 the assumption of the adult dress before leaving England ; I 

 have recently seen two such (one killed on the 1st, the other 

 on the 2nd of September) which had acquired some adult 

 rectrices, and one of which also showed a considerable patch 

 of adult plumage on the throat and upper breast. — J. II. G.] 



Chrysococcyx cupreus (Bodd.). Didric Cuckoo. 



I Avas informed that towards the end of our summer in 

 1880 these Cuckoos were to be found in hundreds along the 

 Rhinoster river, near Cronscadt, where they were doubtless 

 collecting to migrate. Transvaal seems to be one of their 

 chief breeding-countries, the Sparrow [Passer arcuatus) being 

 their most frequent foster-parent. 



[Judging from the specimens sent to me by Mr. Ayres, 

 the sexes in this species are alike when fully adult, except 

 that in the female the upper breast is suffused with a very 

 slight tinge of fulvous, and that, according to the memoranda 

 attached to the skins by Mr. Ayres, the eyelid is " crimson " 

 in the male and "^ dusky '^ in the female. Mr. Ayres has 

 also sent several memoranda as to the colour of the bill, 

 which in young birds is " orange-red " or " light red-brown,"' 

 altering as the bird grows older till, when it is adult, the bill 

 is black, with an '' ashy pale " base to the lower mandible ; 

 on the other hand tiie iris, which is noted as ''red'" in the 

 adult male and ''dull red" iu the adult female, in younger 

 birds is either " light grey,'" " tawny ash-colour," or " light 

 tawny brown." 



I have received from Mr. Ayres specimens of this Cuckoo 

 killed in Transvaal in the months of October, December, 

 January, February, and March. — J. 11. G.] 



364. CoccYSTEs CAFFER (Licht.) . Levaillant's Cuckoo. 



Three females, shot in the Eustenburg district, 3rd No- 

 vember, 1882, 17th January and 4th February, 1883. Iris 

 dark brown or dusky umber ; bill black ; tarsi and feet ash- 

 colour. Caterpillars iu stomach of one specimen. 



