250 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
plumage ; rest of lower parts and wing lining white with 
narrow wavy bars of brownish-black. 
Young, First Stage: Feathers of upper parts dark brown, 
barred with rufous and edged with white. A white spot on 
the nape. Lower plumage broadly barred with brownish- 
black and white ; tail browner than in adults and more 
boldly spotted ; as the birds grow up the rufous bars on the 
upper plumage are lost, except on the wings. 
Second Stage : The black bars on the under parts become 
narrower ; the upper plumage, wings, and tail are barred with 
pale rufous. As the birds reach maturity the white nape spot 
disappears, while ashy patches appear on the upper parts and 
spread until they wholly replace the rufous bars. 
Bill dark horn colour, orange-yellow at the gape, and 
yellowish on the edges and at the base ; iris yellow; legs 
yellow. In young birds the lower mandible is pale green 
and the iris brown. 
Length about 13; wing 8-9; tail about 7; tarsus ‘8 ; 
bill from gape 1°2. The dimensions are variable. 
Distribution —The Common English Cuckoo is one of our 
rarest hill migrants. Two or three specimens have been 
obtained during the north-east monsoon in Dikoya and 
Kotmale and Layard once shot a specimen in Colombo while | 
migrating. It is found practically over the whole of the Old 
World, breeding in the north and centre of its range, and 
wintering in the tropics, occasionally going as far south as 
Australia. 
Habits, &c.—Should be looked for on the borders of woods. 
The well-known callis uttered only by the male in the breeding 
season, so is not likely to be heard in Ceylon. In flight and 
appearance it is singularly like a hawk. It feeds on cater- 
pillars, grubs, and insects. 
CUCULUS POLIOCEPHALUS (Blanford, Vol. ITI., p. 208; 
Legge, p. 231). 
The Small Cuckoo. 
Description.—Adult : Very similar to the last species, 
but considerably smaller ; the black bars on the breast are 
broader. 
