CUCULID^ 



CUCULUS 



177 



460. Guculus canorus. European Cuckoo. 



Cuculus canorus, Linn. Sijut. Nat. 12th ed. i, p. 168 (1766j ; Gurney 

 in Andersson's B. Dcunaraland, p. 227 (1872) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's 

 B. S. Afr. pp. 147, 809 (1875-84); Barmtt, Ibis, 1876, p. 199 

 [Potchffstroom] ; Ay res, Ibis, 1877, p. 342, 1884, p. 223 ; Dresser, B. 

 Ear. V, p. 199, pi. 299 (1878) ; ShcUcy Cat. B. M. xix, p. 24.5 (1891) ; 

 id. B. Ap\ i, p. 124 (1896) ; Alexander, Ibis, 1900, p. 108 [Zambesi]; 

 Marshall, Ibis, 1900, p. 252 [Maslionaland]. 



Description. Adult male. — Closely resembling C. (jularis, being 

 distinguished by its black bill which is only yellow at the extreme 

 base, by its rather broader black transverse markings below, and by 

 the lesser amount of white on the tail ; on the outer pair of tail- 

 feathers there are no bars only spots along the shafts, and these on 

 the median pair of feathers are reduced to almost rudimentary 

 proportions. 



Pig. 61.— Outer tail-feather of Cuculus canorus (from Sharpe, P.Z.S., 1873). 



Iris and legs yellow ; bill bluish-black, except a very narrow 

 margin round the nostrils which is yellow. 



Length about 13-25 ; wing 8-75 ; tail 7-25 ; culmeu 075 ; 

 tarsus 0-95. 



The female differs only from the male in having the throat 

 shaded with rufous. The young bird is dark brown above, the 

 feathers of the head and body are tipped with white and many of 

 them, including those of the wing and tail, barred with rufous ; 

 below, the throat and upper breast are barred and somewhat suffused 

 with dark brown. 



Distribution. — The European Cuckoo is found throughout the 

 greater part of the Old World from Ireland to the northern portion 

 of Australia ; during the European summer it breeds in Europe, 

 northern .\frica and Asia as far as the Himalayas, retreating south 

 in winter to southern Asia and Africa. 



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VOL. III. 



