112 BIRDS OF BRITISH BU11MAH. 



Indian specimens occasionally have the wing 4 7, and in Tenasserim, 

 according to Mr. Hume, males have the wings mostly under 4*2. Further 

 south, wings of 3'9, Mr. Hume informs us, are not uncommon. Under 

 these circumstances it seems impossible, as in the case of some of the 

 Woodpeckers,, to maintain two species on the ground of difference of size. 

 The plumage of all the birds from Bengal to Malacca is identical, and 

 there is really nothing but size to go by. A bird from Java in the British 

 Museum can be matched by birds from Pegu, and the wing measures 4'3 

 inches in length. It is, I think, very probable that many of the numerous 

 so-called species of this small Cuckoo from the Malayan islands would be 

 found on strict investigation to be nothing more than larger or smaller 

 forms of C. threnodes, but I have not had time to enter upou such a wide 

 field of inquiry. 



The Rufous-bellied Cuckoo is found abundantly over the whole Province, 

 except in the denser forests on the hills. Capt. Bingham failed to meet 

 with it in the Thoungyeen valley ; but I have no doubt it occurs in that 

 part of Tenasserim, for Dr. Tiraud states that it is common in Cochin 

 China, and Mr. Blyth records it from Siam. Capt. Wardlaw Ramsay 

 obtained it in Karennee. 



It extends through the Indo-Burmese countries to Bengal, and it visits 

 China, according to Mr. Swinhoe, to breed. It ranges down the Malay 

 peninsula to Singapore, and is also probably found in some of the islands of 

 the archipelago. 



This species frequents all descriptions of jungle, even grassy plains and 

 swamps. Its note is a soft monotonous whistle. Capt. Feilden found 

 what he considered to be the eggs of this species at Thayetmyo, in the nests 

 of Tailor-birds. 



Genus SURNICULUS, Lesson. 



496. SURNICULUS LUGUBRIS. 

 THE BLACK FORK-TAILED CUCKOO. 



Cuculus lugubris, Horsf. Trans. Linn. Soc. xiii. p. 179. Pseudornis dicruroides, 

 Hodgs. J. A. 8. B. viii. p. 136. Surniculus dicruroides, Jerd. B. Ind. i. 

 p. 336 ; David et Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 61. Surniculus lugubris, Salvad. Ucc. 

 Born. p. 63; Bl. fy Wold. B. Burm. p. 80; Hume fy Dav. S. F. vi. p. 159; 

 Anders. Yunnan Exped. p. 587 ; Legge, Birds Ceylon, p. 243 ; Hume, S. F. viii. 

 p. 89. 



Description. Male and female. Upper plumage glossy black, a few 

 white feathers on the nape ; lower surface duller black ; under wing- 



