NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



concluded that, like the European bee-eater, this cuckoo breeds 

 in both hemispheres. 



Levaillant's Cuckoo (Coccystes cafer). (Vol. IL, p. 103.} 



Description. — Male : above black, most of the feathers 

 having a green and violet gloss. White band on wing, and 

 tail feathers tipped with white. Most of under surface white, 

 throat and chest being strongly streaked with black. Sides of 

 body and thighs with a few black streaks. Iris hazel. Bill 

 black. Legs and feet dark ash-grey. 



Length, I ^.JS'^ wing, 7.0 ; tail, 8.75. 



Female resembles the male in plumage, but is smaller in size. 



Distribution. — Africa, south of Sahara. In South Africa it 

 is rarely met with south of the Orange River, being exceedingly 

 rare in the Cape Province, although fairly common in Natal. 



Habits. — This cuckoo is nowhere plentiful. It appears 

 about November, the late spring, and is usually seen in pairs. 

 However, being very shy and retiring, not much has been 

 observed of its habits. It usually frequents the thick bush 

 bordering rivers and streams. Its diet consists chiefly of insects, 

 such as worms, ants, locusts, and hairy caterpillars, of which 

 latter it is specially fond. Nothing is known of its breeding 

 habits in South Africa. 



Black-crested Cuckoo {Coccystes serratus). (Vol. IL, 

 p. 103.J 



Description. — Male : black, glossed with green through- 

 out, both above and below, with only a white band on the wings. 

 Iris black. Bill black. Legs black. 



Female resembles the male both in plumage and size. 



Distribution. — Like coccystes glandarius, this cuck()o is also 

 migratory, appearing between September and October, and 

 departing again before April. 



Habits. — It is most often seen in pairs hunting among the 

 trees for insects such as beetles, locusts, caterpillars, flies, etc. 



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