Violet, Golden, and Drongo Cuckoos 445 



and a half inches in length, though the females are -somewhat smaller. Its 

 habits and notes are similar to those of the last species, except that it appears 

 occasionally to build a slight unlined nest of sticks and to lay three or four 

 whitish, slightly speckled eggs; it is mainly parasitic, however. 



Violet and Emerald Cuckoos. Passing over the little Plaintive Cuckoos 

 (Cacomantis), the dozen species of which range from India to Australia and 

 the Fiji Islands, and which are so called from their mournful whe-whew, -whZ- 

 whe-e-iv, or some similar note, the allied Banded Bay Cuckoo (Penthoceryx 

 sonnerati), which is alternately barred with rufous and blackish brown, brief 

 mention may be made of the beautiful Violet and Emerald Cuckoos (Chalco- 

 coccyx] of the Oriental and Australian regions, of which there are fifteen or 

 eighteen species recognized, and in which the sexes are distinctly different in 

 coloration and the females usually smaller in size. They are small birds, mostly 

 between five and six and a half inches in length, the males exhibiting brilliant 

 colors with a metallic luster. Thus in the Violet Cuckoo (C. xanthorhynchus) 

 the male is glossy violet above with blackish brown wings, and alternately barred 

 below with white and violet or green, while the female is greenish or coppery 

 bronze above and alternately barred with bronze-green below; in the males 

 the bill is orange-yellow and the iris red. They are silent birds, quiet in their 

 movements, and frequent dense groves. 



Golden Cuckoos. Hardly to be distinguished structurally, but having the 

 under sides of the wing-quills barred instead of nearly plain, are the handsome 

 Golden Cuckoos (Chrysococcyx) of the Ethiopian region, the commonest of the 

 three or four species being the true Golden Cuckoo (C. cupreus} of tropical 

 Africa, in which the upper parts are metallic green, changing to golden green, 

 while the sides of the head, throat, and under parts are white, barred on the 

 sides with dusky bronze; its length is eight and a half inches. Although fairly 

 abundant in many parts and constantly uttering their mournful call of di-di-di- 

 didrie, they are very shy and difficult of approach, Mr. Layard stating that he 

 was only able to procure three examples in as many months. "When calling," 

 he says, "they perch on the summit of some dead branch, ready to do battle 

 with any male, or engage in an amorous chase after any female that comes 

 within their ken. They pursue each other, often with great ardor, turning, 

 twisting, and dashing about with much rapidity." The African Emerald 

 Cuckoo (C. smaragdineus] is a brilliant metallic green above and on face, 

 throat, and fore neck, and bright golden yellow below. 



The Drongo-Cuckoos (Surniculus) are so named from the extraordinary 

 resemblance in structure and coloration to the Drongo-Shrikes, or King Crows 

 (Dicrurus], the plumage being mainly black throughout, while the tail appears 

 forked from the fact that the lateral feathers, although not much if any longer 

 than the others, are curved outward. Of the three species, which range through- 

 out the greater part of the Oriental region, the best-known is the Drongo-Cuckoo 

 (S. lugubris}, a bird about ten inches long, with the black plumage marked with 

 a changeable green and purple gloss, the effect of which is heightened by the 

 usual presence of several pure white feathers on the nape. They are quiet, 



