CUCULUS. 409 



Sir. F. viii. p. 255 ; Hume, Sir. F. ix. p. 315 (Note) ; Oates, Sir. F. x. p. 193 ; 

 O ales, B,Br.Burm, \\.^. 105, Cuculus Himalayanus, Vigors, P. Z. S 1831, 

 p. 172 ; Jerd., B. Ind. i. p. 323, No. 200 ; Seebohm, Ibis, 1878, p. 326. The 

 ASIATIC CUCKOO, 



Upper plumage uniform dark bluish ashy, cinereous on the wings ; inner 

 webs of quills barred and spotted with white ; tail dark ashy grey ; the feathers 

 with a subterminal dark bar and large white shaft spots, which on the outer 

 feathers become bars ; chin, throat, and breast pale grey ; rest of under surface 

 white or buffish white, closely barred with dusky black, except on the under 

 tail coverts, where the bars are nearly obsolete. Bill with the upper mandible 

 and tip horny green ; rest of lower mandible yellowish horny. Legs and feet, 

 also the irides, yellowish horny. 



Length, 1 2 inches; tail 5 75 to 6; wing 6 % S to 7; tarsus 07: bill from 

 gape i-i. 



HaL The greater portion of Asia, Australia, Siberia, Pegu, Sikkim, Khasia 

 hills, Pegu and Tenasserim ; also the Nicobars and Cashmere. (BrooksC) Oates 

 says it is rare in Pegu, but, according to Davison, not so in Tenasserim^ It 

 lays during June in the Himalayas, dep-ositing its eggs in the nest of Trocha- 

 lopteron lineatum* The egg is a nearly perfect oval, pure white, with minute 

 specks and tiny lines of dingy olive brown and very pale inky purple or 

 purplish grey. 



989. CUCUIUS pOliocephalUSr Latham, Ind. Orn. i. p. 213 ; Jerd., 

 B. Ind. i. p. 324, No. 201 ; zV/., 2nd SuppL Cat. No. 223 bis; id+ y Idi's, 1872, 

 Suppl. List\ Legg^ B, Ceylon p. 231. Cuculus Himalayanus, Gould, CenL 

 Him. B. pi. 54; Hume^ Nests and Eggs Ind. B. p. 135. The SMALL or 

 HOARY-HEADED CUCKOO. 



Upper surface of the body ashy, tinged sometimes with rufous bay, and 

 slightly glossed with green on the back and upper tail coverts ; quills brown, 

 glossed greenish, with numerous close large white spots; tail deep ashy or 

 blackish brown,. with large white spots on the middle of each feather and on 

 the edge of the inner webs, also at the tip ; chin and throat pale ashy ; breast 

 tinged with rusty ; under surface of the body white, with narrow distant bars 

 of dark brown or buff ; under tail coverts white. Bill dusky horny ; irides 

 reddish brown. 



Length. 10 to IO'6 inches; tail 5'! to S'2; wingS'6; bill at front O'6 ; 

 tarsus 0-6. 



H&b. The Himalayas, migrating to the plains during winter. Jerdon says 

 it has been found as far south as Nellore on the East Coast ; at Darjeeling it 

 is said to be tolerably common. Nothing certain, Hume says, is known of the 

 eggs of this species. Mr. Thomson, he adds, says it lays in May and June. 

 Mr. Brooks, in Cashmere, took an egg supposed to belong to this species from 

 the nest of Reguloidts superciliosus at Goolmerg, Cashmere, on 2nd June ; 



