92 Mr. 1). A. Baiiiierman on rare Birds \\h\%, 



CUCULUS CLAMOSUS. 



[Cuculus clamosns Latham, Ind. Orii. ii. Suppl. 1801, 

 p. XXX — Type locality : Cape of Good Mope.] 



The Soutii African Black Cuckoo is unfortunately not 

 v.ery well represented in the National Collection, as we have 

 not any really young birds. We have twenty specimens 

 from Cape Colony, Daniaraland, Transvaal, Natal, Zambesi, 

 and Southern Rhodesia ; also ten specimens from Nyasaland, 

 which I consider must be included with the typical form. 



The juvenile and second plumage is apparently unknown, 

 but Ave have a number of specimens showing the transition 

 stage from the plumage just before the adult plumage is 

 reached to the fully adult. In this not quite matui'c phase, 

 of which we have twxlve examples, the upper parts are 

 already black, with a deep greenish-blue gloss as in adult 

 specimens. The underparts, in what I take to be the three 

 youngest examples before me (Heg. Nos. 89.6.25.112 and 

 89.6.25.113), two from Durban, one from Kingwilliams- 

 town, are dusky blackish-brown, irregularly barred and in 

 one specimen almost mottled (so indistinct is the barring) 

 with grey and rufous. The under tail-coverts are black, 

 barred distinctly but narrowly with pale rufous and white. 

 The Kingwilliamstown Ijird is probably the youngest 

 example, as it has the outer webs of the primaries distinctly 

 barred, while in the elder of the Durban birds the primaries 

 are uniform as in the adult. 



From this plumage the birds gradually lose the barring 

 on the undei'side ; in several specimens it is only faintly 

 indicated, and finally all trace of markings are lost and we 

 see the adult plumage as in a specimen (No. 8994) from 

 Durban and a bird from Natal (No. 79.4.5.395). 



In one l)ird with almost uniform under parts but very 

 heavily barred under tail-coverts there is a distinct indica- 

 tion of rufous on the breast. 



I have purposely described specimens from Soutli Africa 

 (Natal and Cape Colony) as benig undoubtedly typical, but 



