THE CUCKOO ' 



[ORDER: Cuculiformes. FAMILY: Cuculidw] 

 PRELIMINARY CLASSIFIED NOTES 



[F. C. R. JOURDAIN. F. B. KIRKMAN. W. P. PYCRAFT. A. L. THOMSON] 



THE CUCKOO \Cuculus cdnorus Linnaeus. Gowk. French, coucou ; 

 German, Kuckuck ; Italian, cucco, cuculo]. 



I. Description. The cuckoo may at once be recognised by the leaden colour 

 of the upper parts, the large, fan-shaped, spotted tail, the barred under surface, 

 and yellow, zygodactyle feet. Sexes alike. (PI. 88.) Length 14 in. [355'60 mm.]. 

 The adult male has the upper surface of a bluish lead colour with a faint greenish 

 gloss. The wings and tail, however, are rather darker, the remiges being of a 

 brownish black, and the tail dark slate colour. The two central tail feathers have 

 a row of white spots along the shaft ; the rest have a row of similar spots on each 

 side of the shaft and along the fore edge of the inner web, and all are tipped with 

 white. The throat and fore-breast are of a pale bluish grey, the rest of the under 

 parts white barred with black. The inner webs of the primaries have broad white 

 bars for about two-thirds of their length from the base. The female is like the 

 male, but slightly smaller, and commonly has a rufous shade in the fore-neck. The 

 juvenile (first teleoptyle) plumage differs conspicuously from that of the adult, being 

 of a rufous brown colour, heavily barred with slaty black. The scapulars and inter- 

 scapulars, wing-coverts, inner secondaries and primaries are tipped with white ; 

 the rump feathers are similarly tipped, and there is a white patch on the forehead 

 and nape. The tail is marked with V-shaped bars of dark slate colour, and white 

 spots along the shaft ; it is also tipped with white. The under parts are white tipped, 

 heavily barred with black. Frequently this juvenile dress assumes a " hepatic " 

 phase, the general coloration being pale rust or cinnamon colour ; the markings are 

 as in the normal phase, but less conspicuous. 



