Mr. E. P. Ramsay on Cuckoos of New South JVales. 293 



The eggs of the Brown Cuckoo (C. inornatus) closely resemble the 

 large and almost spotless variety of the Yellow-whiskered Honey- 

 eater ; they are, however, somewhat more rounded, and of a much 

 lighter tint, being of a pale flesh-colour, sprinkled with a few dots 

 of a deeper hue, but often without any markings at all. In length 

 they vary from 11 to 12| lines, being from 8k to 9 lines in breadth. 



They are usually hatched about the twelfth or fourteenth day, 

 when the young Cuckoo, a little fat helpless creature, is scarcely 

 larger than its foster-brethren. However, as it grows more rapidly, 

 it soon fills up the greater part of the nest, and its unfortunate com- 

 panions, either smothered by its weight or starved to death through 

 its greediness, are thrown out by their parents. 



On the 30th of October last (1864) we found two unhappy young 

 birds which had been hatched in company with a Cuckoo in a nest 

 of Ptilotis auricomis, tossed out and lying upon the ground just 

 under the nest ; they were of course quite dead, and appeared to have 

 been about three or four days old. 



During the months of October and November it is no uncommon 

 sight to see the smaller birds feeding the young Cuckoos ; even the 

 little Acanthiza, which I believe are never the foster-parents, at least 

 of this species (C. inornatus), join in supplying their wants, which 

 are easily made known by their continual peevish cry, stopping only 

 when being fed, or when their appetites are appeased. 



While walking towards home, through a half-cleared paddock, on 

 the 27th of last October, I was not a little surprised, upon hearing 

 the cries of a young Cuckoo, to see a pair of adult birds of the same 

 species (C. inornatus) flying after it, settling beside it, and apparently 

 paving it great attention. Several times they flew away, but returned 

 to it again ; and from their actions I feel convinced that they were 

 feeding it, although, much to my regret, I was unable to obtain a 

 view sufficiently close to make sure of the fact. 



(3.) The Cinereous Cuckoo (Cuculus cineraceus) : Gould, B. 

 Austr. iv. pi. 86. 



This, the third and remaining Cuckoo which annually visits us, 

 arrives much earlier than either of the former species. 



During May I have found it very plentiful, preferring the lonely 

 and more closely wooded parts, and the sandy scrub-lands studded 

 with aged Banksice (B. serrata) and widely branching Eucalypti, 

 where the undergrowth consists of low, thick, scrubby Lambertice 

 (L. formosa), Acacias, and dwarf Banksias, &c. Such are the parts 

 of our neighbourhood frequented by this species for nearly a month 

 after its arrival. Their clear wailing cry is often heard from the 

 depths of the bush, giving quite a melancholy tone to the surround- 

 ing neighbourhood. 



June comes, and they leave their lonely haunts for the more open 

 wooded parts. Here they may be seen, either singly or in pairs, 

 often frequenting the gardens and orchards, where, among the leafless 

 fruit-trees, their undulating flight and the peculiar cuckooish upward 

 jerk of their tails at once render them conspicuous. As spring 



