PICARIAN BIRDS AND PARROTS OF CEYLON. 251 
Young birds pass through three stages. In the nestling 
plumage the feathers of the upper parts are blackish-brown 
with white margins; chin and throat almost wholly black ; 
rest of lower parts white broadly barred with black. 
Second Stage: Chin and throat imperfectly barred with 
white and tinged with rufous ; the white margins on the upper 
plumage become smaller, while a white spot, sometimes 
extending to a half collar, appears on the nape. 
Third Stage: The white disappears from the nape ; the 
upper parts become bright chestnut with black bars, as the 
birds approach maturity the black bars disappear from the 
neck, rump, and tail coverts, while the throat and breast are 
tinged with rufous. 
Lastly, the ashy adult plumage appears in patches which 
spread. All the changes from one phase to another are 
gradual. 
- Bill blackish, the gape and the base of the lower mandible 
yellow ; iris brown ; legs and feet yellow. 
Length about 10; wing about 6; tail 5-6; tarsus +75; 
bill from gape 1. 
Distribution — Breeds in the Himalayan countries, China, 
and Japan. In winter it migrates southwards, and has 
occasionally been recorded from Ceylon. It also occurs in 
‘ Madagascar and Africa south of the Equator. 
Habits, &c.—Appears to be a very tame bird, “frequenting 
low trees and stunted jungle near open places ”’ (Legge). The 
cry appears to be uttered only in the breeding season, and is a 
loud, harsh call of several syllables. 
CUCULUS MICROPTERUS (Blanford, Vol. TII., p. 210; 
Legge, p. 228). 
The Indian Cuckoo. 
Description.—Adult : Upper plumage ashy-brown, grayer on 
the back of the neck and head ; the wing quills have deep 
notches of white on the inner webs. Tail light smoky brown, 
with a broad dark sub-terminal bar and a white tip. The 
tail feathers also have white or buff marks on the edges, and 
on the shafts white spots, which on the outer feathers form 
irregular bars. Throat and neck pale gray, sides of the face 
