342 DESCRIPTION OF THE MUSEUM. 



The different species of cuckoos occupy the 

 upper shelves of the sixteenth case. The Euro- 

 pean cuckoo, so named from its cry, is cele- 

 brated for its singular habit of laying its eggs 

 in the nests of other insectivorous birds. These 

 bring up the young cuckoo with as much care as 

 if it was theii^own, even when its introduction 

 into the nest has been preceded by the destruction 

 of their own eggs. Amongst the foreign species 

 we will notice the blue cuckoo of Madagascar, 

 sent by baron Milius ; the copper coloured cuc- 

 koo of the Cape ; the golden and the klaas cuc- 

 koos, remarkable for the beauty of their plumage. 

 On the sixth shelf are birds, which have been set 

 apart to make a separate genus. Sparmann, who 

 observed them at the Cape, gave them the name 

 of indicators ; because, feeding on honey, they 

 fly at a great distance in quest of wild bee hives, 

 and utter a loud cry when they have found them ; 

 thus serving as guides to the inhabitants, and sav- 

 ing them a tedious search. "We have four species 

 of this genus: the two first were brought by 

 Levaillant, and the others by M. Delalande. The 

 lower shelves of this case are covered by the 

 barbets (bucco, Lin.), so named from the bundle 

 of stiff bristles on each side of their beak ; and 

 with the couroucous, solitary birds, which fly 

 only at twilight. Several species of this genus 



