CUCULTM:. 251 



495. Chalcites Smaragdineus. (Swain.) due. 



Cupreus, Lath. ; Cuv., Vol. 2, p. 456 ; Cupreous Ouc- 

 kow, Shaw., Vol. IX, Pt. 1, p. 129. 



GENERAL colour above, with the neck and breast, shining 

 emerald-green, if held between the spectator and the light, 

 if held from the light, a beautiful golden and copper gloss 

 pervades the green ; the belly and vent vary in some speci- 

 mens from white to bright-yellow. This colour also fades in 

 death ; but I have had on the same stick, after a morning's 

 shooting, specimens exhibiting all the shades from white to 

 yellow; outer tail-feathers broadly barred with white; tail- 

 coverts white, barred with green. Length, 8" ; wing, 4" 7'" ; 

 tail, 3" 6'". 



The " Golden Cuckoo " is abundant at the Knysna, and throughout 

 all the forest regions to the eastward along the sea-coast. The males 

 are killed in a proportion of at least ten to one female, from their habit 

 of perching on the topmost branches of trees, and from thence utter- 

 ing their loud call of love or defiance. This is easily imitated by a 

 whistler, and the bird will answer the whistle, and remain on the look- 

 out for its supposed foe, until the shooter creeps up within range. 



All the cuckoos of South Africa appear to be migratory, the 

 majority of them making their appearance in the colony about October 

 or November ; some a little later. 



Genus OXYLOPHUS, Swainson. 



Head crested ; bill slender, considerably and suddenly 

 compressed from the nostrils, which are ovate ; upper man- 

 dible entire ; wings moderate, rather pointed, fourth quill 

 longest. 



496. Oxylophus Glandarius; Cucuius Gian- 



darius, Linn., PL Col. 414, Ed. Birds, p. 57; C. 

 Andalusice, Briss. ; C. Macrurus, Brehm ; C. Metis- 

 sophanus, VieiJ. ; G. Pisanus, Gmel. 



GENERAL colour above, ashy, spotted with white, beneath 

 white, tinged with yellow, darkest on the throat ; tail long, 

 graduated, and tipped with white ; head crested. Length, 

 14"; wing, 8"; tail, 8" 6'". 



This bird is very rare within the colony. All that I have seen, 

 three in number, came from Kaffraria. One was sent by Capt. 

 Bulger from Windvogelberg. It appears in Chapman's collection not 

 unfrequently. 



