Vol. XIII 



1914 



] Macgillivray, Notes on Some N. Queensland Biyds. 163 



Cacomantis castaneiventris. Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo. — -This bird 

 finds its living in the thick tropical scrubs of the Peninsula, and was 

 not seen out of them, and never in the mangroves or tea-tree swamps. 

 It is a beautiful bird, with its glossy dark slaty-blue upper surface, 

 rich chestnut vmder-parts, and bright yellow eyelids. It feeds on 

 beetles and other insects. Its nesting habits require further elucidation. 

 Mr. M'Lennan is certain that the eggs found in the nests of Gly- 

 ciphila modesta are not those of this Cuckoo. The only Cuckoo eggs, 

 apart from those of C. nissata, found in the scrub were those found 

 in the nests of Ptilotis analoga and Maluvus amabilis, and they are 

 indistinguishable from those found in the nests of Glyciphila modesta, 

 and Cacomantis variolosus is occasionally found in the scrub. 



An average adult male measures in the flesh %\ inches to SJ inches ; 

 irides, inner circle brown, outer yellow ; eyelids bright yellow ; bill 

 black, basal half of lower mandible yellowish-brown ; legs and feet 

 bright yellow. 



Chalcococcyx basalis. Narrow-billed Bronze-Cuckoo. — From Sedan 

 Mr. M'Lennan sent a clutch of eggs of JMaluvus assimilis containing 

 an egg of this Cuckoo. I had previously to his visit obtained a skin 

 from the Cloncurry district. 



Chalcococcyx plagosus. Bronze-Cuckoo. — In April, 191 1, 'Sir. 

 M'Lennan obtained two skins of this bird on the Jardine River, Cape 

 York. The birds were not numerous, and those obtained were both 

 females. Irides greyish-brown, eyelids pale green, bill black, legs 

 dark or blackish-green. Stomach contents, caterpillars. 



Chalcococcyx russata. Rufous-throated Bronze-Cuckoo. — This, the 

 most numerous of the small Cuckoos at Cape York, is easily recognized 

 in the flesh by its bright scarlet irides and eyelids. It frequents for 

 the most part the open forest and mangroves, though occasionally 

 met with in the scrub. It was also noted on Bushy Island, near 

 Cairncross Island, and on the Sir Charles Hardy group, in June 

 and July, and was prevalent throughout the summer and autumn 

 on the mainland. The usual foster-parents are the Gerygones, G. 

 personata and G. magnnostris. On one occasion Mr. M'Lennan saw 

 one of these Cuckoos following a pair of G. magnirostris in the man- 

 groves, where the latter species usually nests. This attention was 

 resented by the Gerygones, who, after repeated a.ssaults on the 

 Cuckoo, succeeded in driving it away. 



In an adult male the soft parts are : — Irides scarlet, eyelids bright 

 scarlet, bill brownish-black, legs dark olive-brown. In a less mature 

 bird the irides were pinkish-brown. 



Any eggs of a dark chocolate colour taken from nests of Gerygone 

 personata or G. magnirostris are sure to be those of this bird? 



Eudynamis cyanocephala. Koel. — First met with on the Cloncurry 

 River early in February. One young bird which was being fed 

 by a pair of Yellow-throated Miners, and was obtained for a speci- 

 men, was, in its barred plumage, even more beautiful than the adult 

 of either sex. In this bird the irides were light stone colour, feet and 

 legs lead colour. Stomach contents, grasshoppers and beetles. 



In a young male about to assume the adult plumage the irides were 

 orange ; vipper mandible pale brownish-horn ^ lower pale greenish- 

 horn ; legs greenish-slate. In an adult male — irides ruby -scarlet, 

 bare skin round eye black, bill pale green, legs greenish-lead. Stomach 



