60 ON THE CUCULIDiE DESCRIBED [1869. 



The next title, C. orientalis, L., has hitherto been the one adopted by Indian authors for 

 the Indian Koel. Brisson originally described the bird on which LinniBus founded the above 

 title from a specimen in M. de Reaumur's possession, sent to him by Count Bentiuck, who 

 received it from " les Indcs Oricntales." The description is that of an adult male Eudynamis; 

 but as no definite habitat is given, its identification cannot be demonstrated by direct proof. 

 Yet, by implication, we may fairly infer, from the account Brisson gives of the individual on 

 which Linnaeus based his C. ininctatus, that both birds belong to one and the same species. 

 Now the subject of this last title was also obtained from the East Indies by Count Bentinck, and 

 given to M. de Reaumur. It was a skin of a young male or nearly adult female ; and the 

 description, while in no way agreeing with what we find in the Indian species, does tally with 

 the marked characteristics which distinguish the females and young of E. raiisomi, i5p., or at 

 least of the group of which it is typical, if there is more than one species, as there is reason to 

 believe. The following are the grounds for concluding that C. i7ulicus niger, Briss. {—C. 

 orientalis, L.), and C. indicus ncevius, Briss. (=C.punctatus, L.), are nothing but the same species 

 in diflferent phases of plumage — the black and the spotted. They both were sent to the Dutch 

 Ibis, 18G9, Count Bentinck, who gave them to M. de Reaumur. The measurements, as given by 

 Brisson, of the two are almost identical. These dimensions are much larger than those of any 

 other species of Eadynamis. The length of the bills he states respectively as 1 inch 5 lines and 

 16 lines, of the tails 8 inches 4 lines and 8 inches, and so on. These reasons may perhaps not 

 appear conclusive of the identity of the adult male C. orientalis with C. jpunctatus ; but it is also 

 the opinion of Dr. Cabanis*, who has studied this group with great research. Moreover C. 

 punctafus, L., has been referred by Miiller, Bonaparte, and others to either one or other of the 

 Koels inhabiting the Moluccan Islands ; and even if it be not admitted that C. orientalis, L., is 

 the adult male of C. imndatus, L., there can be no doubt that it is not the Indian, Cingalese, 

 Malayan, Javan, Philippine or Australian bird — unless, indeed, we are to follow Professor 

 Schlegel (Mus. P.-B. Cuculi, pp. lG-20), and include all individuals of the genus [E. melano- 

 rhyncha, Miill., excepted) under one species. 



The account of C. mindanensis, the last of the Linna;an species referable to Eudijnamis, is 

 also to be found in Brisson. That exact and trustworthy author described the species from a 

 specimen in M. d'Aubry's cabinet, which came from the island of Mindanao. 



During the twelve years that elapsed before Gmelin published his Xlllth edition of the 

 ' Systema Naturse,' great progress was made in the discovery of new species of birds. A number 

 of authors rose on the ornithological horizon ; and from their works Gmelin extracted descrip- 

 tions of twenty-four species (additional to the Linnncan) and ten varieties belonging to the 

 Cuculida?, one species of Crotopharja, and two si)ecics of the CuculidtE which he erroneously 

 classed under other genera, while two species referred by him to Cuculus belong to other groups. 



1. p. 57, 17".)"), according to Dr. Cabanis. Those who agree with Mr. liljth iu the generic distinction of this species 

 will have to adopt the generic title of Ohlygon, Cab. {t. c. p. 20, note), in lieu of Foli/jjhasia, Blyth, previously employed by 

 Stephens, lf<29. 



• When engaged some time ago in working out the synonymy of the species belonging to the genus Eudynamis, I 

 arrived at the above conclusion before I had referred to the ' lluscum Hciuuanum ;' and my satisfaction was great on finding 

 that Dr. Cabanis had independently adopted a. similar view. 



