308 PET BIRDS OF BENGAL 



ding notes, or sometimes consists of the 

 latter alone. The cry of the above two 

 birds is connected with the spring season 

 from which Indian poetry weaves a halo 

 of romance round them and, Mrs. Sarojini 

 Naidu, the Indian poetess of European 

 fame, has immortalised the Brain-fever 

 bird in English poetry in one of her 

 loveliest of love-songs — 'Pajpeeha. 



The call of Cuculus micropterus is 

 regarded by all as sweet. According to 

 Stuart Baker, "it is very melodious and 

 distinctly cuckoo-like in sound but the 

 bird reiterates it with so great persever- 

 ance that it becomes monotonous. Bou- 

 katha-kao in Bengali and 'Broken-pekoe' in 

 English are two of the best representa- 

 tions.'^ According to Tickell, its note 

 may be styled a melodious deep-toned 

 whistle, agreeable to hear despite its 

 monotonous reiteration. 



While all the above Cuckoos utter 

 their characteristic caJls from a fixed 

 position, the Pied Crested Cuckoo becomes 



