198 CUCULID.E. 



which it is stated in the Proceedings of the Society for 

 that year, page 121, " This bird, on comparison with the 

 Common Cuckoo, differs so little that it can scarcely be 

 called a variety ; it is the Common Cuckoo of India, and 

 its habits and note resemble those of the European bird." 

 Colonel Sykes also includes it in his Catalogue of the Birds 

 of the Dukhun, but says it is rare. M. Temminck says 

 it is found in Japan ; Dr. Horsfield includes it in his 

 Catalogue of the Birds of Java ; and Pennant, in his Arctic 

 Zoology, says it goes as far east as Kamptschatka. This 

 bird, as might be expected, visits the whole of the Eu- 

 ropean continent, remaining in Italy from April to Sep- 

 tember ; it visits Sicily, the Morea and the Grecian Archi- 

 pelago, in its way from and to Africa with the Turtle-dove, 

 and is called by a name that signifies Turtle Leader. Mr. 

 Strickland saw the Cuckoo at Smyrna in April, and the 

 Zoological Society have received specimens, sent by Messrs. 

 Dickson and Boss, from Erzerum. According to M. 

 Temminck, the Cuckoo is found in Egypt, and examples 

 received from South Africa, though differing slightly, were 

 considered by Le Vaillant and M. Temminck to be of the 

 same species. 



The adult male Cuckoo has the beak bluish black, ex- 

 cept at the base, where it is pale brown ; the irides yellow ; 

 the head, neck, back, and upper tail-coverts bluish grey ; 

 quill-feathers rather darker, and the broad inner webs 

 barred with white ; tail long and graduated, the middle 

 pair of feathers being the longest, and the outside feathers 

 the shortest ; the colour greyish black, tipped with white, 

 and a few white spots on the centre and sides. Chin, 

 neck, and upper part of the breast, ash-grey ; lower part 

 of breast, belly, and under wing-coverts, white, barred 

 transversely with lead grey ; vent, and under tail-coverts, 



