THE PIED CRESTED CUCKOO 51 



by their fellow-birds about as much as Lord Morley 

 is loved by Anglo-Indians. As cuckoos dislike demon- 

 strations, the theory is that they habitually shun 

 observation, and are therefore not noticed, except at 

 the breeding season, when their loud excited calls 

 betray their presence. This theory is a plausible one, 

 but the facts are, I think, against it. There can be 

 no doubt that some species of cuckoo are migratory. 

 Indeed, one of the earlier theories to account for the 

 parasitic habits of the common cuckoo was that the 

 bird did not stay in England sufficiently long to 

 enable it to rear up a brood. Again, the Indian 

 koel (Eudynamis honorata) certainly migrates. No 

 bird is commoner in Lahore in the hot weather, 

 but I did not set eyes upon the bird there in the 

 course of two winters during which I took several 

 walks a week, armed with field-glasses. Likewise 

 the pied crested cuckoo is also migratory, but the 

 particular direction of its movements remains to be 

 established. I would ask every one interested in 

 birds to make a note of each date on which this 

 cuckoo is seen. 



The parasitic habits of the pied cuckoo are interesting. 

 The bird victimises various species of babbler, more 

 especially the jungle babbler (Crater opus canorus) and 

 the large grey babbler (Argya malcomi). There is 

 nothing particularly remarkable in this, for babblers 

 are the favourite dupes of Indian cuckoos. The point 

 that is of interest is that the common hawk-cuckoo, 

 or brain-fever bird (Hierococcyx varius) also victimises 

 the seven sisters. Now this cuckoo is much like a 



