172 BIRD-PARASITES 



insects. This bird lays a white egg. In this connection 

 we give an illustration of a Sombre Bulbul at nest ; this 

 nest contained four cuckoo eggs, besides the two marbled 

 eggs of the rightful owners, who were flitting about 

 excitedly in the vicinity of their over-loaded nest (fig. 78). 

 Close by were three Cuckoos (Coccystes liypopinarius, C. 

 serratus, and Cuculus clamosus), and judging by the 

 various shapes and sizes of the cuckoo's eggs we have 

 no doubt that all three birds had utilised the one small 

 nest. We also on two occasions took the egg of this 

 cuckoo from the nest of the Yellow-shouldered Cuckoo- 

 Shrike, and one from the nest of the Cape Bulbul. 



There is another rarer species (C. coffer), resembling 

 the preceding bird rather closely, being, however, a little 

 larger, and having the slate-grey of the previous replaced 

 by white. Nothing is known of its breeding habits. 



The Black Crested Cuckoo (Coccystes serratus) is black 

 glossed with green above and below, relieved only by 

 a white band on the wing. 



It also lays a white egg, and uses the nests of various 

 birds as a repository. The Cape Bulbul (Pycnonotus 

 capensis) is however the usual host, according to Atmore. 

 We took an egg from the nest of the Bed-faced Mouse- 

 bird. 



