266 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
Habits, &c.—An inhabitant of the deep jungle, where the 
undergrowth is thick and tangled. It very seldom emerges 
into the open. The cry is a sonorous “‘hoo-whoop-whoop,”’ 
given out in the morning and evening, or after rain. 
The breeding season appears to last from April to July. 
The nest and eggs are similar to those of the last species, only 
a little smaller. 
CENTROPUS BENGALENSIS (not in Legge ; Blanford, 
Vol. IIT., p. 243, and Vol. IV., p. 485). 
The Lesser Coucal. 
Description —Considerably smaller than either of the last 
two species, but the adult is similarly coloured ; the gloss on 
the body plumage is purplish, and on the tail green ; the wings 
are deep chestnut; the wing lining, however, is chestnut, and 
not black. 
Young birds at first are dark brown, spotted with rufous on 
the head and neck, and barred with rufous on the back, wings 
and tail; under parts rufous-white, with dark spots on the 
throat and dark bars on the abdomen. 
Second Stage : Sides and top of head and neck, the back, 
scapulars, and wing coverts brown with white on the shafts ; 
the upper tail coverts are lengthened, and they and the rump 
are narrowly barred with black ; wings and tail as in adults, 
save that the tail feathers are tipped with rufous and the wings 
are more dusky ; lower parts are rufous-white speckled with _ 
dark brown on the throat, and with narrow dark bars on the 
lower abdomen, flanks, and tail coverts. The changes from 
one phase to another are gradual. 
Adults : Bill and legs black; iris crimson. In the young 
the bill and iris are yellowish, legs lead colour. 
Length about 13 ; wing 5:4; tail 7; tarsus 1°6; bill from 
gape 1-1. Females are larger : Jength 14°5; wing 6°7. 
Distribution Mr. A. L. Butler found in the collection of a 
native dealer a single skin procured in the North-Western 
Province in April. 1896. It is possibly a rare resident. The 
species is found in a few localities in Peninsular India. It is 
commoner in Bengal, and ranges through Burma to Southern 
China and Malaya. 
