58 ON THE CUCULED-E DESCRIBED [1869. 



applied. Two of these undetermined titles were based on species originally described, one by 

 Marc"-rave, the other by Seba, at a date when imagination was largely drawn upon for facts. Still 

 Cuculus comutus may yet perhaps be found among the American Trogons, although C. bra^iliensis, 

 founded on Seba's description and figure*, is, I very much fear, a hopeless case. The plate 

 represents a crested bird of a dingy carmine colour, with yellowish wings and tail, the bill stout, 

 ' curved, and short, the feet with three toes in front encircling a branch. It is singular that Brisson, 



who never saw a specimen of this burd, and took his description from Seba, should have given 

 not only the length of each toe, but should also have alluded to them in pairs as anterior and 

 posterior. Buffon, who termed Seba's bird Le Couroucoucoii (Hist. Nat. vi. p. 298), considered it 

 a link between the Trogons and the Cuckoos, " En supposant que son indication donnee par 

 Seba soit moins fautive et plus exacte que la plupiut de celles qu'on trouve dans son gros 

 ouvrage"t. 



C. dominicus, L., ex Brisson (Ornith. iv. p. 10), who described either from a Guianiau or a 

 Louisianian example, or else from one from St. Domingo in M. de Reaumur's cabinet, thus con- 

 founding the three, but not telling us from which individual he made his description. Dr. Cabanis 

 (Mus. Hein. iv. p. 7-5), considers Brisson's C. dominicensis to be the same as C. americanus, L., 

 ^^'".'sl? ex Catesby (X. H. Carol, i. p. 9, t. 9). From this view Mr. Sclater (P. Z. S. lSG-4, p. 119) differs. 

 I must leave it to others to decide between these two high authorities. 



Crotophaga amhulatorki, L., seemingly an original description, can be nothing but C. ani,L. 

 I introduce it here, belonging as it does to the modern family of the CucuUdce. 



The next six species are from the east ; and five, if not all six, belong to the genus Eudynamis. 

 They are : — 



1. C. fionoratus, L., ex Briss. Orn. iv. p. 130, no. 15, descr. orig. 



2. C. scolopaceus, L., ex Edw. Birds, ii. p. 59, descr. orig. 



3. C. niger, L., ex Edw. p. 58, t. 58, descr. orig. 



4. C. orientalis, L., ex Briss. p. 142, no. 18, descr. orig. 



5. C.punctatus, L., ex Briss. p. 134, no. 14, descr. orig. 



6. C. mindanensis, L., ex Briss. p. 130, no. 12, descr. orig. 



The species to which Linna;us gave the title of honoratits was described by Biisson from a 

 drawin"' made by Poivre of the living bird. Brisson says " Habitat in Malabaria, ubi honores ipsi 

 redduntur." Hence the Linnican title. No modern author, 1 believe, has confirmed this state- 

 ment ; but Latham, from an independent source, mentions that the " Coweel " (C. indiciis, Lath.) 

 is held in veneration by the Mahometans. Vieillot (N. Diet. viii. p. 227) informs us that " cet 

 oiseau, qui doit son nom a la melodie et a I'etendue de savoix, est en veneration dans la presqu'ile 

 dc I'lnde." He adds that its flesh, which is blackish, tender, and agreeable to the taste, is much 



• (Her. Nat. ThesauruB, i. p. 102, t. 66. f. 2.) " Rostrum ejus diluto rubrum, breve, et incurvum est, quale Pseudo- 

 Psittacorum. Caput, paritcr dilute rubrum, crista ornatur saturatius rubcntc, ex nigris variegata. Dorsum quoque 

 saturate rubicundum est : at dilutiorem ventris ruborem nounulla; distiuguunt plumula; tiavcntes. Alas dilute rubentcs 

 Buprii investiunt penna;, flaventibus ctiam aliis interstinctac. I'eunas remigcs, longamquo caudam, saturate flavo conspicuas 

 colore, umbra (|uasi nigricans obfuscat." 



t Conf. Culumlia ailfinis, ilochring, Av. Gen. 103, not to bo confouuded with Cuculus adjinii of the same author 

 (C. versa, L.), Hermann, Tab. aflin. animal, p. 184. 



