PHCENICOPHAINJS. 131 



or arrow-shaped on the breast, and transverse on the abdomen, 

 thigh-coverts, and under tail-coverts. 



The young female has the white spots and marks much tinged 

 with rufous ; and the young male has a good deal of white on 

 his plumage. 



The Indian Koel is very common throughout the district, 

 excepting Sind, where it appears to be somewhat rare. Some 

 of them at least are permanent residents, but during the breed- 

 ing season they are everywhere more common; at this season, 

 too, they are excessively noisy, so much so as to become a 

 positive nuisance. They lay their eggs in nests of the common 

 crow, sometimes a single egg only, but as often as not two 

 will be found, and I have on two occasions found three Koel 

 eggs in a single nest. I much doubt whether the Koel de- 

 stroys the crow eggs before depositing her own, as I have always 

 found them intact ; they may do so in other districts, but my 

 experience is a wide one, extending through Guzerat, Raj- 

 pootana, Central India, Sind, and the Deccan. 



The eggs vary surprisingly in color ; pale sea-green, dingy 

 stone-color, and olive-green and brown, are all met with; the 

 markings also are diversified ; specks, spots, streaks and clouds 

 of olive and reddish-brown and dull purple are all represented. 

 The eggs measure about 1*19 inches in length by 0'92 in 

 breadth. The bird has not inaptly been named the Brain Fever 

 Bird by some waggish godfather. 



SUB-FAMILY, Phoenicophainss. 



Bill moderate or longish, ridge curved ; orbital region gene- 

 rally naked ; wings short ; tail long, graduated. 



GENUS, Rhopodytes. 



( Zanclostomus). 



Bill much compressed throughout, curved both at^the culmen 

 and lower mandible: nostrils basal, oval, pierced in a slight 

 depression in the horny substance ; wing short, rounded, with 

 the fourth, fifth and sixth quills nearly equal and longest ; tail 

 much lengthened, graduated ; tarsus moderate or longish ; hallux 

 very short ; claws well curved, sharp. 



Rhopodytes viridirostris, Jerd. 



216. Zanclostomus viridirostris. Jerdon's Birds of India, 

 Vol. I, p. 346; Butler, Deccan; Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, 

 p. 389. 



THE SMALL GREEN-BILLED MALKOHA. 



Length, 15 ; wings, 5 '2 5 ; tail, 10 ; tarsus, T3 ; bill at front, 1. 

 Bill bright apple green ; naked skin around the eyes cobalt- 

 blue ; irides blood-red ; legs blackish green. 

 Above, dusky cinereous, with a tinge of glossy green ; wings 



