257 
from the very immature plumage of young birds which I shot in 
January, I should say that they breed in November and December. 
Family Cucutip2. 
Subfamily Cucu.in. 
Genus EupyYNAmys. 
EupyNAmys MACuLaATUS. Buiack Cuckoo or KowEEL. 
Not having met with the nest and eggs of this cuckoo, I am in- 
debted to Dr. Jerdon’s catalogue for the following note on the sub- 
ject :—‘‘ The koweel (as is well known in India) lays its eggs in the 
nest of the common crow (C. splendens), from which it dislodges 
the crows’ eggs. It is said always to choose this crow’s nest. On 
one occasion I obtained an egg from the female koweel ; it was of a 
dirty blue colour, marked with some dusky spots.” 
Genus CENTROPUS. 
CENTROPUS PHILIPPENSIS (Cuv.). Lark-HEELED Cuckoo. 
This very common cuckoo, called by many Europeans in India 
‘*the Malabar Pheasant,”’ is a bird remarkable for its appearance, and 
peculiarly loud cry. Its bright chestnut wings and long tail render 
it conspicuous, and from the length of the latter, the name of Phea- 
sant has doubtless been applied to it. Like others of its kind, it is 
fond of thickets and hedges, under the latter of which it may often 
be observed walking about and picking up its food, which consists 
of lizards, seeds and insects. Though classed in the family of the 
Cuculida, this bird differs from Cuculus canorus and Eudynamys 
maculatus in one marked respect, viz. that it does not deposit its eggs 
in the nest of another bird. Like the yellow-billed American cuckoo, 
Coccyzus Americanus (Jenyns), it builds its own nest, but whether, 
as Mr. Yarrell mentions, in the case of the American bird, its egg is 
ever found in another bird’s nest, I cannot say: I never heard of 
such a case. 
The lark-heeled cuckoo breeds in the spring of the year, as early 
as January and as late as April. It builds its nest in hedges and 
trees ; the nest is composed of grass and small twigs. The eggs, 
generally three in number, are of an opaque white, 13 inch in length 
by 1 inch and ;2,ths in width. The exterior of the shell is of a 
peculiarly soft, chalky texture, which soon becomes scratched and 
stained. 
Tribe TENUIROSTRES. 
Family CinnyRip&. 
CINNYRIS ORIENTALIS, Frankl. Purpte Honeysucker. 
As I am anxious to make these papers as complete as possible on 
the nests and eggs of the birds of Western India, I have taken the 
No. CCLXXVI.—ProceeEpinés oF THE ZooLoGicaL Society. 
