DESCRIPTION, DISTRIBUTION, HABITS 



The gizzards of some are completely lined with hair from the 

 hairy caterpillars, which form its staple diet. The eggs are laid 

 in the nests of various hirds, pycnonotus capensis being usually 

 the host. The eggs have also been found in nests of tarsiger 

 silens (silent bush robin) and mouse bird. The eggs are 

 white in colour and measure 1.05 by 0.85. 



Burchell's Coucal {Ce7ttropus burchelli). (Vol. II., 

 p. 108.) 



Description. — Top and sides of head and back of neck 

 blue-black. Middle of back and wings rufous-brown. Rump 

 and upper tail coverts mottled with dark green and dull white. 

 Tail feathers uniform dark green tipped and barred with white. 

 Below buffy-white throughout. The shafts of the feathers 

 shiny throughout. Iris red. Bill black. Legs and feet lead 

 black. 



Lengthy 16.5 ; wing, 6.4 ; tail, 9.85. 

 The female resembles the male. 



Distrihntion. — It is spread throughout South Africa, where 

 it is resident. Very common in Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal, 

 and further north. 



Habits.— The vlei lourie or Burchell's coucal is found 

 chiefly in the thick bush bordering rivers and vleis. It is a very 

 shy bird and is seldom seen, and then usually in pairs. It 

 spends most of its time creeping about the undergrowth search- 

 ing for insects. It is heard calling, usually in the morning and 

 evening. Its note is loud and melancholy, being somewhat 

 like ku-ku or tu-tu repeated rapidly many times, beginning with 

 a high note and ending in a low key. This bird builds a nest of 

 dry grass and leaves low down in some thick mass of bush or 

 creepers. It is a domed structure with a side entrance, which 

 usuallv faces the least windy quarter. The inside is very often 

 lined with mud. The young are ungainly, extraordinary 

 looking creatures, with large heads and distended abdomens. 

 The eggs vary from 4 to 5 in number. They are large rounded 

 eggs, pure white in colour. 



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