CENTROCOCCYX. 423 



Head, neck, lower back, upper tail coverts and entire under parts richly 

 empurpled black, duller towards the vent ; feathers of the forehead bristly, 

 and those on the neck and breast with spiny shafts ; tail dusky black with a 

 greenish gloss ; wings deep rufous bay or dark red. Bill black ; irides crim- 

 son ; legs black. 



Length. 19 to 20 inches, wing 9 to 10; tail IO to IO'5 ; bill at front 1*25. 



ffa&.Smd, Punjab, N.-W. Provinces and Burmah. Hume (S. F. vol. vi. 

 page 170) says it is not yet possible to define accurately the limits of rufipennis, 

 maximus and inter medius. Rufipennis, he says, appears to be a South and 

 Central Indian species; maximus, Western and N. -Western continental India / 

 and intermedius Eastern continental India and the whole of Burmah. 



1014. Centrococcyx rufipennis (linger.), Jerd., B. ind. i. 



p. 348, No. 217 ; Sir. F. i. p. 453 ; Hume, Nests and Eggs Ind. B. p. 142. 

 The COMMON COUCAL or CROW PHEASANT. 



Whole head, neck, lower back, upper tail-coverts and under surface of the 

 body rich black, with a purplish gloss ; tail glossed with green ; upper back 

 and wings, deep chestnut. Bill black ; irides crimson ; legs black. 



Length. 19 to 20 inches ; tail 10; wing 7 ; bill at front 1-3 ; tarsus 2; hind 

 claw I. The young vary much in plumage, generally the upper parts are 

 barred with black and rufous and the lower with dusky and fulvous white; the 

 tail is also banded with greyish. 



Hab. India generally, frequenting wooded and cultivated localities, espe- 

 cially along the banks of rivers and on the edges of cultivation, where it 

 captures mice, snakes, worms, rats, lizards, and other insects, upon which it 

 feeds. This is the diet of all the members. 



All the species build a large, globular, open, or domed nest in the middle of 

 thick, thorny bushes or trees. The nest is usually made of dry sticks or twigs 

 lined with a few green leaves. The hole for entrance and exit is made on 

 one side. June to August are the months in which they lay. The eggs are 

 from 2 to 5 in number, oval, and measure from 1*3 to 1*55 inch in length, and 

 from ri2 to 1*25 inch in breadth. In texture they are coarse and chalky and 

 of a dull white colour, sometimes with a pale yellowish glaze. 



1015. Centrococcyx intermedius, Hume, Str. F. i. p. 454; 



Hume and Dav., Str. F. vi. p. 168 ; Hume, Str. F. viii. p. 89 ; Bingham, Str. 

 F. ix. p. 169; Oates, B, JBr. Burm. ii. p. 126. Centropus rufipennis, apud 

 Blyth and Wald., B. Burm. p. 81. Centropus eurycercus apud Wald. and 

 Blyth, B. Burm., p. 82. Centrococcyx eurycercus, apud Hume, Str. F. iii. 

 p. 83; Armstrong, Str. F.v. p. 312. Centropus intermedius, Oates, Str. 

 F. v. p. 145. The BURMESE COUCAL. 



Whole head, neck, upper and lower back, rump and entire under surface 

 black, glossed with purple, the shafts rigid and spiny ; middle of back and 

 VOL 1L 55 



