( 52 ) 



silly sort of way. They are difficult as well as nasty birds to skin, 

 their feathers being thick and skins extremely thin, besides having 

 a sickening musty smell. 



The male is a very handsome bird with head, neck and breast a 

 rich crimson ; and upper plumage a golden brown, lower parts scar- 

 let, wings closely barred black and white. In the hen the head, neck 

 and breast are brown. They build no nest, but lay three creamy 

 coloured es.s:s in a hole of a tree. 



-t>&" 



Burmese name — Htat-ta-yu. 

 (No. iioi. Harpactes erythrocephalus.) 



XXV 



THE CUCKOOS. 



The Cuckoos may be divided into two groups, those having parasitic 

 nesting habits, laying their eggs in the nests of other birds; and 

 those which undertake their own family responsibilities. 



Many of the first are remarkable examples of mimicry, and at first 

 sight might easily be mistaken for small hawks, and are no doubt 

 mistaken for such, by small birds in whose nests they lay their eggs. 

 They include : — The Common Cuckoo, which is the same as our English 

 bird, and is very common in the hills from March till June. The 

 Hawk Cuckoos, and the Plaintive Cuckoo, which is always com- 

 plaining that " He has lost his love." Another, the Drongo Cuckoo, 

 which is the exact copy of a king-crow, is said to lay its eggs in the 

 nests of birds of that family. 



The parasitic cuckoos have their first and fourth toes pointing 

 backwards, so that when perching they have two in front and two 

 behind. 1 hey are all noisy birds with loud monotonous calls which 

 they indulge in continually during the breeding season. They all 

 deposit their eggs in the nests of other birds generally taking one in 

 exchange. Many of them lay eggs very like tho^e of their hosts. 

 Fourteen out of sixteen species have been recorded from Burma. 



THE KOEL. 



This is the " Hot-weather " bird, well known for his irritating calls 

 of "Who are you?" "Who are you?"' rising in a maddening shriek 

 throughout the day and night. The cock bird, which is the noisy one, 

 is black and looks rather like a long-tailed crow, who cordially detest 

 him for this imposture ; the hen is a speckled brown bird, apparently 

 escaping notice. 



This wicked and fraudulent pair play very cleverly into each other's 

 hands, for when the hen is ready to lay her egg, and has chosen a 

 likely nest, her mate flies into the tree making his usual insulting 

 encjuiry of the crows, This at once fetches them and they both dash 



