■242 CUCULIDiE. 



1131. Centropus chlororhynchus. The Geylonese Coucal. 



Centropus chlororhynclius, Blyth, J. A. 8. B. xviii, p. 805 (1849) 

 {d. Cat. p. 78; id. Ibis, 1867, p. 298 ; Layard, A. M. N. H. (2) 

 xiii, p. 450 ; Holdsioorth, P. Z. S. 1872, p. 433 ; Legge, Birds 

 Ceyl. p. 263, pi. xiii ; Shelley, Cat. B. M. xix, p. 342. 



Centrococcyx chlororhynchus, Hume, S. F. vii, p. 372 ; id. Cat. 

 no. 217 ter. 



^tti-hukkula, Cingalese. 



Coloration. Head, body, and tail black, glossed with purple, 

 passing on the neck, upper back, and breast into coppery bronze ; 

 wings, coverts, scapulars, and interscapulars deep bay, tips of 

 quills dusky; wing-lining blackish. The young does not differ in 

 colour. 



Bill pale apple-green ; inside of mouth black ; iris deep red or 

 dull crimson ; legs and feet black ; claws dusky {Legge). 



Length about 17; tail 9'5 ; wing 6'4; tarsus 1*9; bill from 

 gape 1-7. 



Distribution. Throughout the forests of the South-west hill 

 region of Ceylon. 



Habits, 6fc. Very similar to those of C. sinensis, but this species 

 appears, from Captain Legge's account, to frequent thicker and 

 damper forest and to have a rather different note. The call of 

 the male is a sonorous long-drawn Jioo-whooj), whoojy, which can 

 be heard with distinctness for many miles around, and by which 

 the presence of the bird is easily detected. There is also a peculiar 

 monosyllabic sound made by both sexes. The breeding-season is 

 from about April or May till July. 



1132. Centropus andamanensis. The Andaman Coucal. 



Centropus andamanensis, Tytler, Beavan, Hfis, 1867, p. 321 ; Ball, 



S. F. i, p. 64 ; Hu7ne, S. F. ii, p. 194. 

 Centrococcyx andamanensis, Walden, Ibis, 1873, p. 305, pi. xi ; 



Hume, Cat. no. 217 bis ; Oates in Hume's N. ^ E. 2nd ed. ii, 



p. 404. 



Coloration. When freshly moulted, the head and neck, upper 

 back, rump and lower parts throughout, including the under wing- 

 coverts, are greyish brown ; wings, scapulars, and a narrow band 

 across the back between them deep bay ; tips of quills infuscated ; 

 tail dark greyish brown glossed with purple. The colours fade, 

 the head and neck become light brown, almost buff, and the edges 

 of the tail-feathers, especially towards the base, isabelline, whilst 

 all gloss is lost. In some specimens, apparently young, traces of 

 barring remain on the lower parts. 



Bill black ; irides crimson ; legs and feet black. 



Length about 19 ; tail 10 : wing 6*5 ; tarsus 2*1 ; bill from 

 gape 1'7. 



Distribution. Only found in the Andaman Islands and Cocos. 



Habits, ^c. A forest bird fond of coming into gardens, and 



