CUCKOOS 169 



a number of birds, the egg to a large extent varying in 

 colour to mimic that of the foster parent. Pyrn took a 

 white egg from a nest-hole of the Malachite Kingfisher, 

 which lays white eggs (vide fig 3, plate 88) ; we have 

 taken eggs from the nests of Apalis thoracica, the 

 Cuckoo's eggs resembling those of the Warbler in colour, 

 but differing considerably in size and shape. We also 

 took an egg from the nest of the Larger Double-collared 

 Sunbird, which was very like that of the Black Sunbird, 

 so much so that had the egg been deposited in a nest of 

 the latter bird it would have been a matter of difficulty 

 to have distinguished it from the Sunbird's eggs. We 

 append a photograph of a young C. klaasi in the nest of 

 a Double-collared Sunbird (fig. 118.) 



The Didric or Golden Cuckoo (C. cupreus) is metallic- 

 green with coppery reflections above, a white streak 

 on the centre of the crown, a narrow green band 

 under the eye ; under surface white, banded on the 

 sides of the body with green ; in the female this barring 

 is more pronounced, extending across the chest. 



It is widely distributed in Africa, being a migrant to 

 our climes, arriving in late September or early October, 

 and departing at the end of March or so. It derives its 

 trivial name from its loud plaintive cry of " Dee-dee -dee- 

 deederick." Like the other members of the family, 

 insects and their larvae caterpillars, &c. form its staple 

 diet. 



Its egg is subject to still more variation in size, shape 

 and colour than that of the last species, so far as our 

 experience goes. We have both taken white eggs in 

 many cases absolutely authentic. A pure white egg 

 was taken from the oviduct of a female shot at the 

 Crocodile River, District Pretoria ; a white egg was also 

 found in the nest of a Cape Wagtail, which was allowed 



