BIRD-NOTES 67 



The monotonous notes of the Cuckoos are quite a 

 family characteristic. There is one species, Caco- 

 mantis merulinus, which is suitably known as the Brain- 

 Fever Bird. It has the maddening habit of perching at 

 night in some tree or shrub close to a house, and there, 

 for hour after hour, at more or less irregular intervals, 

 it will whistle its monotonous call. This call is a 

 descending chromatic scale, and if this scale were 

 always of the same number of notes the monotony 

 could possibly be endured ; but it varies, sometimes 

 being of only three notes, sometimes of six or seven. 

 He who is trying to woo the sleep that is so elusive 

 on a hot, still night is compelled against his will to 

 listen and to count the varying notes of these oft- 

 repeated scales until he is driven to a frenzy, which may 

 culminate in a volley of boots and household articles 

 in the direction of the bush in which the maddening 

 songster is concealed. 



Two other species, Hierococcyx fugax and the closely 

 similar H. nanus, 1 frequenters of old jungle, whistle in 

 the twilight four notes, which Malays interpret as 

 " Abang Kantong," i.e. " elder brother Kantong." The 

 story goes that a cruel elder brother cut off the bird's 



The author had not written the name of the Cuckoo he was 

 referring to. The following note by Dr. Hose makes it clear 

 that two species are involved, and I have altered the text in this 

 sense (E. B. P.) : " I know these birds by the native name Kong-ka- 

 put and Kapa-kapang, names which have been given from the note 

 of the bird. It is supposed to foretell a good fruit year. The fact is 

 that it feeds on insects on the blossoms and keeps up its monotonous 

 note while engaged in searching for its food. Hierococcyx fugax is the 

 species he probably means, and is the most common ; but H. nanus 

 is so like H. fugax that it is hardly possible to see any difference. 

 Their notes cannot be distinguished. C. H." 



