330 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



earlier in Bengal, according to Blyth in every garden or avenue. 

 It sounds something like Pipeeha, PipeeJia, repeated several 

 times, each time in a higher note than the last, till they become 

 exceedingly loud and shrill. Mr. Elliott makes it whi-wheeha. 

 Sundevall calls it Piripin. This author further remarks that each 

 word is pronounced about twice nearly in this manner, in the 

 musical scale 0. B. B. A.— A. C. C. B.— B. D. D. C.,— and it 

 thus mounts the scale of notes at every second cry, three or four 

 times, till the note is as high as the bird can raise it, when it makes 

 a short pause and begins anew. 



I believe that this Cuckoo usually deposits its eggs in the nests 

 of the Malacocerci. I have, on several occasions, seen the old birds 

 of M. Malabaricus, and M. griseuSj feeding a young Cuckoo, 

 which was following them about screaming. On one occasion, at 

 least, there were two or three young Malacocerci in company, so 

 that the young of this species of Cuckoo does not always eject 

 the eggs or young of its foster-parents from the nest. 



It lives both on caterpillars and other soft insects, and on fruits ; 

 and it is very fond of the jBg of the banian and other Fici. The 

 flight is rapid, darting into a tree or bush with a peculiar rush. 

 Small birds very often mistake it for the Shikra (31icro?nsus badius), 

 and pursue it under that impression. Some natives assert that it 

 lays its eggs in the nest of the Shikra, which of course is not likely. 

 It is stated to be very excellent eating, being very fat: and it 

 occurs in Ceylon, Burmah, and JMalayana. 



206. Hierococcyx nisicolor, Hodgson. 

 Hodgson's Hawk-cuckoo. 



Descr. — Very similar to the last, but considerably smaller. 

 The upper plumage is darker, but, at the same time, purer tinereous 

 than in that species, and the difference is conspicuous on every 

 part where that tint occurs, as well on the. chin, cheeks, sides 

 of the throat, upper plumage, and tail ; beneath, in the only 

 specimen examined, a pale rufous, a shade darker than in the corre- 

 sponding stage of C. varius, and with some darkish markings on the 



