(Spy) 
shady, bower, calling throughout the warm sunny days, its not un- 
melodeous song of four notes, a sort of /ut-tut, tut-tut or perhaps 
hoo-hoo, hoo-ho, would better describe the sound, not unlike the 
coo of a dove, for which it is sometimes mistaken. This bird 
is about 12 inches in length, more dove-like in build than most of 
the Cuculine. It has a faint greenish gloss on the back and close 
narrow bars of black on lower parts of the body; tail grey with 
biggish white spots. Amongst the last perhaps to arrive, in those 
alluring spring days in Darjeeling is 
(201) CucULUS POLIOCEPHALUS, Small Cuckoo, its call is cheerful 
and unique. A sort of rapid Quich-quick-quick-quick, commencing long 
before dawn. Occasionally at midnight, when aroused from a com- 
paratively light, wakeful dose, by a sudden gust of wind or the dis- 
covery of approach of Forest Eagle-Owl, Huhua (71) or one or other 
of the marauders of sleepy little birds. In size Poliocephalus is 
about 10 inches in length. It is a longish bird with elegently shaped 
body, and racket-tail conspicuous, similar to other Cuckoos.  Polio- 
cephalus has the peculiarity of presenting two different types of 
colouring or markings, which offer the puzzling appearance of being 
another bird or twa different species, in fact, so much so, that not a 
few of our naturalists in India have given this second type another 
name. Usually this bird looks like a smaller edition of Canorus. The 
next is quite different, it has a fine rufous-bay colour spotted and 
elegently barred with dark chesnut, and could be mistaken from a 
distance, by a hurried glimpse for a Bar-tailed Tree-dove excepting 
of course the prominent difference of tail of these two birds. This 
type of Poliocephalus is uncommon in this district; possibly more 
plentiful in Sylhet. Both these types are identical in measurements, 
in their anatomy, song and habits the same; in nidification usually 
the same. This Cuckoo deposits its eggs in the nest of Horornis 
fulviventris (523) Fulvous-bellied Hill-Warbler, which has smaller, 
but similarly coloured eggs only much darker chocolate, whilst Polio- 
cephalus egg is a light reddish brick colour, elongated oval in shape. 
Now and then, on rare occasions a spotlessly white glossy egg laid 
by one or other types of this species is discovered. At one time I 
was inclined to believe that this white egg belonged to the rarer 
rufous-bay coloured bird, but on carefully noting the egg, an ordi- 
narilly marked Poliocephalus was hatched. Later on I satisfied myself 
that the light reddish brick coloured eggs were the usual type of 
eggs belonging to both varieties I might say, of Poliocephalus. 
(203) CucuLus microprerus, Indian Cuckoo, prefers a lower 
elevation than this. Its warning voice is frequently heard proceed- 
ing from some jungle, containing a few tall trees, in the gorges 
below Darjeeling. Aicropterus as a rule seems to prefer dense 
