Order P 1 C A R I . E — Continued. 



Sub-order Coccv(tES. 



Family CUCULID^. 



Sub family CUCULIN^. 



<3en.-a.s CTJC'CrJl.XJS. i.nu,<.„.. 



Cuculus inornatus. 



I'ALLIU rlTKoo, 

 CHCulH^hwTnatH'i, Vij;, and Horsf., Trans. Linn. Soc, Vul. XV., p. 'I'dl (li^-.i'J); Gould, Bds. 



Au.str., fol. Vol. IV., pi. S,^ (1,S4S). 

 CiiruinaiilL'i /la/lij/ii!', OouU\, Handh Bds. AlLstr., Vol. I., p. <>l."i (1SG-"J). 

 CiichIiis p,iUhlMs, Shelley, Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., VoL XIX., p. 261 (1S91) ; Sharpe, Hand-1. Bds., 



Vol. II., p. l.'iO (I'.IOO). 

 Cuculus rarieijiiliis, Hartt-rt, Nov. Xool,, \'ol. .VII . p. 'JIT (I'.lO.'i). 



AnuLT ,M.\LK—^' ''/«■»■"(' coliinr aborr asli ij-liroirii , sliyh/.li/ /»t/<_'f on tli" fofihrad, siiicipnf and 

 /u'l-rr back : ii/ijifi- /iiiJcoi'i'iis asJiij-ln-o(cii, siiiiif of t/if roiiciilei/ ones sli<j!itlii im/f/iPil on f.lifir margins 

 irith ilnll vinir . intil>>r tfiin/rnn r/s mid gpcmtdari,:-- lik,' llif bar/,', iritli dull trhitydiroini viKrijiiis : 

 rmnaiuder of tin' np)ii-r irinijcori'i-tg, jiriinary coivrls and quilh hnnrii, l/if inni'r iri'bs of tlii> jirimarifs 

 notched or b(trrei\ irUh irlntf, th. bn^id portion cf the innur irebs of tin' S'-coiidarics irlinlli/ trliite : 

 upppr edge of the irluij irhite : tail feathers blackish broirn. notched on both o-cbs ami tipped with 

 ichitc : on the nape a spot of irhile : car-covcrts and a line ,.rl,-udi mj along and doini behind them, 

 bron-n, : sides of the nech and all the under surface stone greif, passing into while on the centre of the 

 ididonien ami under toil-curerts : bill dark oUre-broirn, yellmrisli at the base nf the loirer mnndible : 

 orbital ring yelloir : gape reddish-orange : legs and feet olire, the bitter grey beloir. Tutal length in 

 tliejtesh IS inches, icing ?-S, tail trS, bill <)-fl>, tarsus O'S. 



Adult FKM.\LK — Similnr in plmnage to tlie male. 



Distribntion^Soith-westtivn .Vustralia, Noithern Tenitoty of South .Australia, Uueensland, 

 New South Wales, N'ictoria, South .\ustralia. Central .Australia, Western .Australia, Tasmania. 



0\ ER nearly the whole of the Australian continent and Tasmania the Pallid Cuckoo may 

 be found at one season of the year or another. In " Novitates Zoologica'" ■ Dr. Ernst 

 Hartert pointed out in January, 1905, that Latham's Colnmba pallida of his " Index Ornithologicus" 

 was founded on the " I'ale Pigeon " of the " General Synopsis of Birds," and is not applicable 

 to the well-known Pallid Cuckoo of Australia and Tasmania. In his "History of the Collections 

 contained in the Natural History Departments of the British Museum," Birds, Dr. Sharpe 

 informs us that Latham's name was founded on one of Watling's coloured drawings of the 

 '■ Pale Pigeon, ■ and as Dr. Sharpe remarks :—" -Although this hgure is \ery incorrect, I ant 

 inclined to think tliat it is intended for Tophohcmus aiiairtinis." 



As there appears from Dr. Hartert's remarks to be some uncertainty also about the 

 propriety of usinu the name of Cucidiis variixatiif, X'ieillot, which he substitutes for Latham's 

 name, I think it would have been better, when changing it, to have given it the first specific 



Nov. Zool , Vol. XI!., p. 217 (I'jOj)- 



