TACCOCUA. 237 



tail-feathers tipped with white and with a subterminal black band ; 

 lower parts to the breast pale grey, sometimes washed with buff, 

 becoming more rufous on the breast and abdomen ; flanks and lower 

 tail-coverts chestnut. 



Bill apple-green ; orbital skin pale green, inclining to bluish ; 

 irides dark brown ; legs and feet dark plumbeous {Davison). 



Length about 13; tail 7 ; wing 4-5; tarsus 1-05 ; bill from gape 

 1*4. 



Distribution. In Tenasserim as far north as Lemyne, a little 

 north of Yay, also throughout the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and 

 Borneo. 



Habits, Sfc. According to Davison, this Ground-Cuckoo fre- 

 quents the densest parts of evergreen forests and cane-brakes. In 

 all its habits it resembles Ehopodytes, but has a different note, a 

 peculiar cat-like mew, not a chuckle. It is almost invariably 

 found in pairs and feeds on insects. 



Genus TACCOCUA, Lesson, 1831. 



Bill shorter and deeper than in Zandostomus and Rhor)odytes • 

 upper mandible distinctly festooned near the base. Wings short 

 and rounded ; tail long, broad, and graduated, upper tail-coverts 

 more than half as long as the tail. The plumage of the head, neck 

 upper back, and breast spinous, shafts of the frontal feathers pro- 

 jecting. A row of coarse bristles nearly surrounds the eye except 

 behind. Tarsus strong. Claws short and ciu-ved. Plumao-e above 

 grey. 



A single species, peculiar to India and Ceylon. 



1129. Taccocua leschenaulti. The Sirheer Cuckoo. 



Taccocua leschenaultii, Less. Traite, p. 144 (1831) ; Blyth, J. A. S. B. 

 xiv, p. 201 ; id. Cat. p. 77 ; Jerdo7i, B. I. i, p. ;352 ; Holdsworth, 

 P. Z. S. 1872, p. 433 ; Hume ^ Butler, S. F. iii, p. 461 ; v. p. 218 ' 

 Hume, Cat. no. 219 ; Legge, Birds Ceyl. p. 266 ; Vidal, S. F. ix' 

 p. 56 ; Butler, ibid. p. 389 ; Davison, S. F. x, p. 361 ; Barnes 

 Birds Bom. p. 134 ; Oates in Himies JV. ^- E. 2nd ed. ii, p. 408. ' 



Centropus sirkee, Gray in Hardw. III. Ind. Zool. i, pi, 28 (1830-32). 



Taccocua infuscata, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xiv, p. 201 (1845) ; id Cat 

 p. 77 ; Horsf. i^- M. Cat. ii, p. 687 ; Jerdon, B. I. i, p. 353': Hume- 

 Cat, no. 221 ; Scully, S. F. viii, p._2o8. ' 



Taccocua sirkee, Blyt'h, J. A. S. B. xiv, p. 201 ; Id. Cat. p. 77 ; Horsf. 

 ^ M. Cat. ii, p. 687 ; Jerdon, B. I. i, p. 353 ; id. Ibis, 1872, p 16 ■ 

 McMaster, J. A. S. B. xl, pt. 2, p. 209 ; Stoliczka, J. A. S. B xli' 

 pt. 2, p. 234 ; Hume, Cat. no. 220 ; Marshall, Ibis, 1884, p. 411 • 

 Gates in Hume's N. ^- E. 2nd ed. ii, p. 408 ; Shelley, Cat. B. M. 

 xix, p. 381. 



Taccocua aiSnis, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xv, p. 19 (1846) ; id. Cat. p. 77 ; 

 Jerdon, B. I. i, p. 354 ; King, J. A. S. B. xxxviii, pt. 2, p. 214- 

 Blanford, J. A. S. B. xxxviii, pt. 2, p. 168 ; id. S. F. v, p. 245 • 

 Fairbank, S. F. iv, p. 255 ; Ball, S. F. vii, p. 208 ; Hu7ne ~Cai 

 no. 222. 



Tlxe Southern, Bengal, Northern, and Central Indian Sirkeers, Jerdon ; 

 Jangli tota, 11. ; Adavi chilluka, Potu chilluka, Tel. 



