THE KOEL AND ITS ALLIES 319 



of reddish fawn. Those with white tips 

 are females. But he is not sure if the reverse 

 is true viz., whether all birds, whose 

 early feathers are tipped with reddish 

 fawn, are females. It seems that the 

 nestlings assume the adult female coloration 

 from which both sexes pass into adult 

 plumage without moulting. A full-grown 

 Koel is seventeen inches in length, of 

 which about half is taken up by the tail. 

 About the coloration of the Papiyas, 

 Gates says, "The coloration is remarkable 

 even amongst cuckoos for its close imita- 

 tion of Hawks and Ealcons The 



resemblance is quite unexplained, though, 

 as it is sufficient to cause great alarm 

 to small birds in general, it is probably 

 connected with breeding habits." Grey 

 predominates in its upper plumage. Sides 

 of head are ashy with whitish lores and 

 cheeks ; chin and throat white with an 

 ashy tinge ; foreneck and breast rufous 

 with an ashy admixture ; lower breast 

 barred. The abdomen is white with bars, 



