INSESSORES. 013 



of the wood ; the eggs arc three in number, of a whitish 

 colour, with circular green spots regularly distributed over 

 the whole surface. The bird breeds in September. 



On reference to the synonyms given above, it will be seen 

 that, prior to my visit to Australia, I regarded, described, and 

 named the two sexes of this bird as distinct species, an error 

 which the opportunity I subsequently had of observing the 

 bird in a state of nature and of dissecting recent specimens has 

 enabled me to correct ; the black-headed specimens proving to 

 be females, and those with a black cap only, males. 



The male has the forehead, stripe over the eye, throat, 

 breast, and centre of the abdomen white ; crown of the head 

 black ; ear-coverts, back of the neck and back greyish brown, 

 with a small stripe of dark brown down the centre of each 

 feather of the latter ; rump white ; upper and under tail- 

 coverts greyish brown, crossed with an arrow-shaped mark of 

 dark brown, and tipped with white; tail black, the centre 

 feathers slightly and the outer ones largely tipped with 

 white ; wings blackish brown, with a large patch of rufous 

 in the centre, interrupted by the blackish brown margins of 

 some of the secondaries ; all the feathers slightly tipped with 

 greyish brown ; flanks and vent greyish brown ; bill yellow 

 at the base, black at the tip ; feet beautiful king's-yellow ; 

 irides buffy hazel ; eyelash buff. 



The female differs in being somewhat darker on the upper 

 surface, and in having the whole of the upper part of the 

 head including the orbits deep black. 



Total length 4f inches ; billf ; wing 3^; tail If; tarsi f. 



Family CUCULID^. 



The species of this extensive family, many of which are 

 rendered remarkable by their parasitic habits, are universally 

 dispersed over the surface of the globe ; they abound in the 

 old world, but are much less numerous in the new. In Africa, 



