218 Rev. J. Sibree, Jr., on the 



2. The second Family of the first Suborder of the 

 Picarise, that of the Cuckoos, contains in Madagascar no 

 less than fourteen species. Of these twelve belong to a 

 genus peculiar to the island, and are among those numerous 

 birds which give a distinct and special character to its avi- 

 fauna. These are the Couas (from a native name Koa, pro- 

 nounced kooa) , which are large handsomely coloured birds ; 

 they are remarkable for their short and obtusely pointed 

 wings, loosely barbed feathers, long stiff tail, long thighs 

 covered with large scales, and a fleshy caruncle round the 

 eyes. These twelve species, says M. Grandidier, are strictly 

 local in their habitat, most of them being confined to 

 one district, out of which they are never found, and those 

 which live in the damp forests on the eastern side of the 

 island are very distinct from those which inhabit the dry 

 and sandy plains on the western side. This is shown clearly 

 in a map which M. Grandidier gives of the distribution of 

 the various species. These differ from each other not only 

 in colouring, but also in the proportions of the different 

 parts of their bodies — wings, tail, beak, legs, &c. C. dela- 

 landei is perhaps the handsomest of all the genus ; it is deep 

 blue above, with whitish breast and red belly. 



Five species of Coua "^ inhabit the large forests, or at least 

 the wooded regions, where they are found jumping from 

 branch to branch in search of their food, which consists of 

 insects, and especially of land-mollusks. In their stomachs 

 there is usually found a fetid gelatinous mass of matter, 

 which comes from the slugs and snails, of which these birds 

 are vei'y fond. These five species are true climbers. The 

 other seven species, on the contrary, rarely perch, and live 

 in the plains, where they run on the ground, as well as under 

 the trees. The Couas feed chiefly on worms and insects, 

 and, at certain seasons, on seeds. All the Couas, whether 

 climbers or runners, pillage mercilessly other birds^ nests at 

 the time of incubation, and sometimes even attack small 

 adult birds. They are unsociable, not one of them living 

 in flocks, for they are almost always met singly, except at 

 * C. reynaudi, C. crhtata, C. pi/rrnjjt/ffia, C. verremtxi, and C. cffvulea. 



