CUCULUS LUGUBRIS. 



'obsei-ved. Its habits are very different from those of the Cuculus orien talis and the 

 Cuculus flavus, which are both very abundant in Java. The former, although it 

 delights in shady woodland tracts, gladly seeks the confines of villages, and is univer- 

 sally known by the cry of Tuhu-tuhu, from which the native name is derived. The 

 Cuculus flavus descends into the plains and cultivated tracts, where it is heard in 

 the morning from almost every tall tree. It has three distinct notes, which it 

 repeats in great regularity with a loud but not unpleasant voice, although by 

 many natives it is considered as ominous of evil. 



But although our bird differs from the Cuculus orientalis in its habits, it greatly 

 resembles it in the external covering. It has a slender, somewhat lengthened form ; 

 the tail is of moderate length, and wedge shaped, though in a less degree than in 

 many other Cuckows. It is shghtly forked, and the divisions are rounded at the 

 extremity; this organ consists of ten feathers, of which the two exterior ones reach 

 scarcely to its middle. The others are of equal length, have very broad internal 

 vanes, and are disposed at the sides in two series, capable, to appearance, of being 

 divaricated at the pleasure of the bird. In the form of the bill, the peculiarity of 

 the nares which occurs in this genus, and in the structure of the feet and claws, it 

 agrees with the true Cuckows. The general colour of our bird is deep greenish 

 black ; but a strong lustre is spread over the plumage, which varies, according to its 

 position towards the light, from green, with a yellow metallic reflection, to purple 

 and blue. This colour is darkest on the head and back. The wings underneath are 

 brown. The quills are marked on the internal vane with a white spot, and col- 

 lectively exhibit, when the wings are expanded underneath, a large transverse band. 

 The two short exterior tail-feathers are obliquely banded with white, the bands 

 being distinct at the extremity, and gradually evanescent towards the base. The 

 plumes of the vent have likewise delicate white bands : on the thighs the plumage 

 is thick and somewhat lax, and a few white filaments appear among the black 

 -feathers. The bill and feet are black: the irides dark coloured. 



