on the Birds of Soidh-eastern China. 187 



the latter appeared, however, to view these assaults with 

 perfect equanimity. From the fact that fragments of the 

 eggs of this Cuckoo Avere often picked up under the trees in 

 this wood, it seems probable that the Drongo may turn the 

 eggs of Cuculus micropterus out of its nest on occasion, for 

 such shells are those of fresh eggs. 



Mr. J. C. Kershaw shot a female of this species, from tlie 

 oviduct of which he took an egg, that was about to be laid. 

 It is whitish in ground-colour, spotted and clouded about 

 the larger end with rusty red, and about the same size as 

 that of Cuculus canorus (see Plate V. fig. 1). 



Staff-Surgeon J, P. H. Greenhalgh, R.N., noticed that the 

 young of this species ejects the young of the foster parents 

 in the same fashion as does that of the Eurojiean Cuckoo. 



Cuculus canorus. 



Cuckoos of this species are only obtained on the spring 

 and autumn migrations, when they are seen singly and are 

 never heard to give their characteristic call. 



Some of these birds are seen at Hong Kong and Samshui 

 as late as the first week in May. 



Cuculus saturatus. 



Cuculus intermedius Vahl ; Shelley, Cat. B.M. xix. p. 252. 



The Himalayan Cuckoo is considerably rarer than the 

 other two allied species, but has been seen and shot in 

 October and in April, on its spring and autumn migrations. 



Cacomantis merulinus. 



This Cuckoo is a common summer visitor, its abundance 

 being doubtless relative to that of the Tailor-bird, on which 

 it is parasitic. Occasionally it arrives as early as at the 

 beginning of March, but the majority of these birds appear 

 from the last week of that month until about the middle of 

 April. 



From its peculiarly penetrating and mournful cry, it is 

 well known to the Europeans of south-eastern China, who 

 call this species the Rain-bird, because it is supposed to be 

 most noisy before a spell of wet weather. The fact that it 



