268 Wonders of the Bird World 



Here one can imagine how the Cuckoo profits by the 

 similitude of its colouration to that of the Drongo. The 

 latter is not unlike a Shrike in its habits, and is a vigorous 

 and fierce bird, resenting the appearance of any intruder in 

 the vicinity of its nest. I have myself seen a pair of these 



The Black Cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris) near the nest of the Drongo. 



birds in India mount into the air and buffet a Crow (Corone 

 levaillanti) six times their size and drive him off from the 

 neighbourhood of their habitation, pursuing him for a long 

 distance from their hunting-ground. A weak bird like a 

 Cuckoo would have no chance with these persistent little 

 fighters, and yet it is imperative for the Black Cuckoo to 

 get to the nest of the Black Drongo, if, as has been said, it 

 is parasitic on the latter. The eggs of the Drongo are 

 white or pinkish, with rufous or black spots, principally 



