CUCKOOS 165 



Le Vaillant found its egg in the nests of several birds, 

 and describes it as olive-grey dotted with red. 



The European Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) resembles the 

 foregoing bird rather closely, differing by its almost 

 entire black bill, this being only yellow at the base and 

 slightly larger size. Length 13j inches. It is a migrant 

 from Europe, as its name indicates. 



The Red-chested Cuckoo (Cuculus solitarius) is known 

 to the Boers as the "Piet mynvrouw," from its call. It 

 is dark slate above ; throat grey, tinged with rufous ; 

 lower throat and breast rich rufous, the remainder of the 

 under-parts being pale buff barred with black. 



It migrates to South Africa during our summer, going 

 to Central and Northern Africa when the winter draws 

 near. In the sub-continent its range extends from Cape 

 Town, along the Southern portion of the Cape, through 

 Natal to Portuguese South East Africa. 



We have taken its egg of a peculiar chocolate brown 

 colour from the nests of the Cape Robin and the Cape 

 Rock Thrush, these two birds being seemingly the two 

 usual hosts, although le Yaillant mentions in addition 

 the Noisy Robin-Chat, the Kappokvogel and the Cory- 

 phea Warbler ; and we have ourselves taken the egg 

 from the nest of the South African Stone Chat. Their 

 eggs may be searched for in November and December. 

 In the photograph of the Cape Rock Thrush (fig. 16) 

 the dark egg of the Cuckoo is distinctly visible. 



The Black Cuckoo (Cuculus clamosus) is black . glossed 

 with dark green, the tail with a narrow white tip. 



It is also a summer migrant from North and Central 

 Africa, ranging in South Africa from Port Elizabeth and 

 Albany to the Northern Transvaal, and across to German 



