274 Breeding of the Guira Cuckoo. 



They were turned into an aviary about 14 yards square, 

 already containing- Violet Ravens, Yellow-billed Blue-Pies 

 (Urocisso, flavirostris Eed -billed (Occipital) Blue -Pies (U. 

 occipitalis), Wandering- Tree Pies (Dendrocitta rufa), Peruvian 

 Jays (Xmithura) , Blue-throated Jays, Long-tailed Glossy Star- 

 lings (Lamprofornis ccmdatus), White-crested Laughing 

 Thrushes {Garrulax leucolophv.s), White-throated Laughing 

 Thrushes {G. alhigidaris), and Himalayan Blue Thrushes 

 (Myophoneus temmincki) . 



The Cuckoos showed signs of building about the be- 

 ginning of August, The nest was placed in the centre of 

 a small fir tree and was constructed of twigs, leaves, etc. 



The hen laid somewhere about the 10th of August, but 

 the exact date is not known, as she was very shy, and did 

 not like anyone approaching the nest, she laid two eggs, 

 all three birds seemed to take an interest in the nest, and all 

 took part in driving off any other birds that approached it, 

 chattering loudly every time anyone stopped or appeared to 

 take an interest in their proceedings. 



As far as could be ascertained only the hen incubated, 

 the cock and the other hen mounting guard. 



She always slipped off the nest if anyone stopped and 

 looked or took any interest in the aviary, so strict orders were 

 given that she should be left as quiet as possible. 



As far as can be ascertained, the eggs were hatched 

 on or about August 25th. The young birds grew at a mar- 

 v^eilous rate, and were most carefully tended by the two old 

 •^irds, the third bird still helping to keep intruders, in the shape 

 ^f other birds, from coming too near. 



About a fortnight after they were hatched, the young 

 birds showed themselves on the edge of the nest. They 

 feathered most astonishingly quickly, but it was noticed from 

 the first that one bird always kept well ahead of the other, 

 and this was more pronounced when they left the nest. 



When about three weeks old the smaller young bird 

 disappeared in a most unaccountable way. It was noticed 

 that the parents did not attend to it, or seem to care for it 

 as much as they did for the larger bird. The latter is now 



