80 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



the Red-winged Lory, Ptistes erythropterus, Gmelin, noticed and 

 skinned by me on loth August, 1893, I suspect was an escapee, 

 though possibly it came down from upper New South Wales 

 with a hot week, but if so it would be a most unusual course. 



FURTHER NOTES ON AUSTRALIAN CUCKOOS. 



By a. J. Campbell. 



{Read before the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, IQth Oct., 1898.) 



Black-eared Cuckoo {Mesocalius palliolatus). 



The Black-eared Cuckoo is a larger and more robust bird than 

 any of the Bronze-Cuckoos, and also differs from them in 

 colouration. 



Gould himself shot two in New South Wales, 1839, received 

 one from Gilbert, who obtained it in Western Australia, and two 

 from other collectors. 



As Gilbert observes, the Black - eared Cuckoo is very shy, 

 and is usually met with in the interior of the provinces. It utters 

 a feeble, lengthened, and somewhat plaintive note, at long inter- 

 vals. It flies slowly and heavily, and for short distances at a 

 time. 



The only one I happened to notice in a state of nature was an 

 early bird, seen " sneaking " about a native pine scrub, near 

 Echuca, Victoria, 28th July, 1894. 



Without having absolute proof, there is no doubt that the egg 

 received from Central Australia by Mr. G. A. Keartland, and 

 described by Mr. A. J. North, is referable to the Black-eared 

 Cuckoo. Mr. C. E. Cowle was instrumental in securing this 

 type-egg, which was found with a clutch of Tit's (Acanthiza). I 

 believe a similar egg has since been found in the nest of the Red- 

 throat (Pyrrholsemus), while Mr. James Kershaw exhibited at the 

 Field Naturalists' Club on the 13th June, 1898, an egg taken in 

 the Wimmera district from the nest of the White-face (Xerophila). 



Broad-billed Bronze-Cuckoo {Clialcococcyx lucidus). 



There has also been some confusion about the identity and 

 nomenclature of the various Bronze-Cuckoos, and more particu- 

 larly those that wander to the southern parts of Australia. Gould, 

 after examination, concluded that the New Zealand bird to which 

 the specific name lucidus was applied was identical with hasalis. 

 But, seeing the egg of the New Zealand bird is bronze, while the 

 other is red-speckled, Gould's deductions do not hold. 



Dr. Ramsay says : — " Most ornithologists agree in considering 

 C. plagosus and C. hasalis distinct species, and G . lucidus, from 



