of Hongkong, Macao, and Canton. 47 



its locality given as the Philippines, Cape, and Coromandel 

 coast. 



The loud notes of this bird first drew my attention to it in 

 the city of Canton. I was told that this noise-producer was 

 called the " Summer Bird^' among the European residents, from 

 its arriving at the commencement of the hot season. Its note 

 maybe syllabled "co'-o'-a/i," pronounced loudly and with stress, 

 which it keeps on repeating, the loudness and vigour increasing 

 every time, until the sound suddenly stops. On hearing the 

 call, you have only to look to some well-exposed tree or branch, 

 and you are almost sure to see the bird ; but it seems to prefer 

 the leafless top branches of the gigantic Bombax malabaricum, 

 where its large black form is plainly visible, bending forwai'd 

 and stretching its neck while the startling notes are emitted. 

 If approached too near, the bird flies off with a straight flight, — 

 looking, however, in form much like a Drongo Shrike. One 

 that I was watching flew off to another large tree in which 

 there was a MagnaPs nest, and close to the nest a brown bird 

 much like himself in form. The brown bird turned out to be 

 the female, and set up a chattering noise on the arrival of her 

 mate. She very probably had dropped, or had come to drop, an 

 egg into the nest ; for the Magnal {Gracupica nigricollis) soon 

 returned to the tree, and seeing strangers so near his abode, 

 charged them. The Magnal, however, was defeated and driven 

 off, and the Cuckoos remained victorious. I was fortunate 

 enough to procure a pair, which I enclose ; but the bird was by 

 no means uncommon, for I have heard no less than three males 

 calling within ear-shot of one another. 



Male. — Length 15^ in. ; wing 7| ; tail 7^, with ten feathers. 

 Eill pale bluish grey, becoming pale yellowish towards the tip. 

 Inside of mouth flesh-colour. Iris clear carmine. Legs lead- 

 colour, greyish at the joints and on the soles. Whole plumage 

 greenish black. 



Female. — Length 15 in. ; wing 7\, tail 7\, expanse 19^. Bill 

 pale greenish ochre, varied with brown. Inside of mouth flesh- 

 colour. Iris reddish brown. Legs leaden blue ; soles yellowish 

 grey ; claws brownish grey. Tail a good deal worn and jagged 

 at the ends and sides of the feathers, proving to a certain degree 



