THE CUCKOOS. 15l 



In both stages the bird bears a most astounding resem- 

 blance in colour to the Shikra or common Sparrow-Hawk 

 of India (Astur badius) in its corresponding plumages ; 

 and as the flight is also exactly like the Hawk's , it is diffi- 

 cult to tell the two birds apart unless one is near enough 

 to see the difference in the beak. This, no doubt, is one 

 reason why the Brain-fever Bird is so much better known 

 by name than by sight. 



It is really a very common bird, found over most of 

 India and Ceylon, and ascending the hills up to seven 

 thousand feet. But it is not found in Sind or the Punjab 

 and doubtfully in Assam and Burma. In Ceylon it is 

 stated to be a migrant, arriving in November. Its note, 

 so much disliked by Europeans, though natives like it, is 

 variously rendered as " brain-fever, brain-fever, etc.," 

 running up the scale, or as " lor', lor', how very hot 

 it's getting ; I feel it, I feel it, etc." I prefer the last ren- 

 dering, as it gives the preliminary notes by which the bird 

 gets his pitch, as it were ; moreover, the sentiment is 

 appropriate, as the bird is specially noisy from April to 

 June, its breeding season, when it calls even by night. 

 Unfortunately, the bird's efforts at this season, when 

 even the Nightingale would be a burden, are not appre- 

 ciated, and would get a charge of shot as buckshot if 

 the singer could be located which he generally cannot. 

 Those who are prejudiced against Brain-fever Birds should 

 search the nests of the Satbhai or their relatives, for it is 

 to these Babblers that the Hawk-Cuckoo entrusts her egg. 

 As in the case of the Koel, the parasitic egg is like the legi- 

 timate one, being of course blue in this case. 



