DESCRIPTION, DISTRIBUTION, HABITS 



Habits. — The emerald cuckoo is migratory, arriving in 

 South Africa in the early summer and departing in autumn. 

 It is by no means so common or so widespread as the didric. 

 I have found it chiefly in the wooded fertile districts, and 

 invariably in mimosa trees. It occurs in the Knysna Forest, 

 and is not uncommon in Natal, Zululand, the Zambesi Valley, 

 and Rhodesia. The stomachs of twenty cock birds which I 

 examined in Natal contained caterpillars, many of which were 

 of the hairy species ; also a few winged termites. The male 

 birds are easily located by their frequent calls and the 

 conspicuous way they show themselves in their eagerness to 

 attract the hen bird, which is invariably silent and keeps out 

 of sight amongst the foliage of the trees. It is exceedingly 

 difficult to get a glimpse of the female. For five years I 

 observed these birds each summer season, and only on two 

 occasions was I successful in getting a view of the female, one 

 of which I shot for scientific purposes. 



Black and Grey Cuckoo (Coccystes hypopinarius). 

 (Vol. 11. , p. 98.) 



Description. — Male : upper parts black with greenish 

 gloss. White band across the wings. Tail feathers tipped with 

 white. The under parts are of greyish-slate throughout, the 

 chest and sides of neck being slightly suffused with black. Iris 

 black. Legs, bill, and feet black. 



Length, 13.75 ; tail, 7.2 ; wing, 6.0. 

 The female resembles the male. 



Distribution. — Most of Southern Africa. In South Africa 

 it occurs on the coasts of Cape Province right up to Portuguese 

 East Africa. 



Habits. — This cuckoo frequents the thick bush, and usually 

 only appears after the heavy spring rains, when it can be recog- 

 nised by its loud whistling note. It feeds chieflv on caterpillars 

 and such-like insects. Like other cuckoos, it also deposits its 

 eggs in the nests of other birds. The most favoured host is the 

 sombre bulbul [Andropadus importioius). Nests of this bulbul 



