256 A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF NEPAL. 



the bars being faint on the interscapulary reofion ; but some 

 new quills, not fully grown, are unhanded pure grey on the 

 outer webs, as in the adult. 



This Hawk-Cuckoo is found in small numbers in the valley 

 of Nepal, where it breeds. In May it was often heard in the 

 Sljeopuri forest at an elevation of about 7,000 feet, and it was 

 observed on several occasions, in the central woods, before 

 and after the breeding season. It seems to come into the 

 valley earlier than the other Cuckoos, as I shot a specimen in 

 the Residency grounds on the 3rd of February. It was com- 

 mon in the plains of Nepal, in topes, during December. Its 

 call and habits are well known. 



207.— Hierococcyx sparveroides, Vig, 



Femaky Young, Valley, August. — Length, 14*3 ; expanse, 

 23"6; wing, 8*3 ; tail, 7"5 ; tarsus, 1 ; bill from gape, 1"4; bill 

 at front, 0'96 ; closed wings short of tail, 3'1. 



Bill black above, green horny below ; gape and margin of 

 eyelids yellow ; irides brown ; feet and claws yellow ; the 

 bill is very large and powerful, above dark brown, banded 

 with rufous ; large longitudinal drops of black on the 

 throat and breast, and arrow-head bars on the flanks and 

 abdomen. 



Mule, Young, Valley, August — Length, 14-3 ; expanse, 24 ; 

 wing, 8"65 ; tail, 8"2 ; tarsus, 1*0 ; bill from gape, 1*25 ; bill at 

 front, 0"85 ; closed wings short of tail, 3"2. 



Upper mandible black, lower greenish; gape and ej'^elids 

 greenish yellow ; iris brown; feet yellow. Above dark, bronzed 

 brown, inconspicuously banded with rufous ; tail crossed with 

 five dark-brown bars, the interspaces rufous ; below, the longi- 

 tudinal dark drops on the neck and breast are narrower than 

 in the first specimen, and the flanks and abdomen are trans- 

 versely barred with dusky ; tho bill is very small for this 

 species, so much smaller than in the first bird, which was of 

 much the same age, as to make one doubt whether this speci- 

 men is really sparverioides. I do not know what else it can 

 be ; the large size, general style of colouration, and the very 

 broad bars on the tail preclude the possibility of referring it 

 to varius, and a fortiori it cannot be nisicolor. 



The Large Hawk-Cuckoo is a seasonal visitant to the valley 

 of Nepal, arriving about the beginning of April and descend- 

 ino- to the plains and low warm valleys in September. It 

 frequents the forests on the hills round the valley during its 

 breeding season, and in August the young birds are found in 

 the central woods in small numbers. 



