described by Linnaeus and Gmelin. 329 



supplied to Edwards by Mr. Daudridge, who obtained it from 

 Bengal, " where it is called in the country language Cukeel." It 

 is thus described: — "The head, body, wings, and tail are covered 

 in every part with deep black feathers, without any mark or 



spot of other colours; the feathers have a shining lustre 



on them.'^ This can only apply to the Koel ; and in this 

 identification I am happy to agree with Dr. Cabanis (/. c), who 

 was the first to point out the " ungliicklicher Missgriff," of Mr. 

 Blyth in identifying C. tenuirostris^, J. E.Gray (111. Ind. Zool. 

 ii. t. 34. f. i. 1833), with it. 



The next title, C. orientalis, L., has hitherto been the one 

 adopted by Indian authors for the Indian Koel. Brisson ori- 

 ginally described the bird on which Linnaeus founded the above 

 title from a specimen in M. de Reaumur's possession, sent 

 to him by Count Bentinck, who received it from " les Indes 

 Orientales." The description is that of an adult male Eudy- 

 namis ; but as no definite habitat is given, its identification can- 

 not be demonstrated by direct proof. Yet, by implication, we 

 may fairly infer, from the account Brisson gives of the indi- 

 vidual on which Linnseus based his C. punctatus, that both birds 

 belong to one and the same species. Now the subject of this 

 last title was also obtained from the East Indies by Count Ben- 

 tinck, and given to M. de Reaumur. It was a skin of a young 

 male or nearly adult female ; and the description, while in no way 

 agreeing with what we find in the Indian species, does tally with 

 the marked characteristics which distinguish the females and 

 young of E. ransomi, Bp., or at least of the group of which it 

 is typical, if there is more than one species, as there is reason 

 to believe. The following are the grounds for concluding that 

 C. iadicus niger, Briss.(= C orientalis, L.), and C. indicus ncevius 

 Briss. {= C. punctatus, Jj.) , are nothing but the same species in 

 different phases of plumage — the black and the spotted. They 

 both were sent to the Dutch Count Bentinck, who gave them 



* Polyphasia nigra, Jerdon (B. Ind. i. p. 333), which must staud as Ca- 

 comardis passer imis (Vahl, Skr. Nat. Selsk. iv. 1. p. 57, 1797), accoixliug to 

 Dr. Cabanis. Those who agree with Mr. Blyth in the generic distinction 

 of this species will have to adopt the generic title of Ololygnn, Cab. 

 {t. c. p. 20, note), in lieu of Polyphasia, Blyth, previously employed by 

 Stephens, 1829. 



