Letters, Extracts from Correspondence, Notices, 8^c. 545 



On the 15tli May I was watching some Flycatchers — Myiagra 

 azurea. They open their tails like fans^ and flit about from 

 branch to branch. They are very noisy birds^ and have a 

 variety of notes, which they utter in quick succession, some of 

 them very loudly. The Chinese name for them signifies 

 " Mango-bird.'-' 



May 18th, I received from the neighbouring mountains a 

 pair of MegalcRma nuchalis, just like the Tamsuy mountaineer, 

 A few days ago, while at Taiwan-foo, I saw a living Poliornis 

 in the possession of a European there. It must have been 

 P. poliogenys, as it was taken in Formosa; but it was un- 

 commonly like a specimen of P. teesa that I have from the 

 Himalayas. 



For some two or three days past I had heard on the hills the 

 note of a Cuckoo, which was like the two notes of Cuculus 

 canorus run into one. On the 21st of May I procured a female. 

 It is rather small, but I have otherwise little doubt that it is 

 the bird referred to by me on a former occasion (P. Z. S., 1863, 

 pp. 264<, 265) as a second form of C. canorus, which I think 

 must now be raised to the rank of a species. This specimen is 

 more broadly barred on the breast and sparsely on the axillaries 

 than is the Common Cuckoo. Though a smaller bird, it has a 

 comparatively larger bill. Its neck is barred all round; and 

 hepatic patches occur on the wings. In proportions it ap- 

 proaches C. himalayanus of Jerdon (B. lud. i. p. 323) ; but the 

 wing of that species is 7 inches long, and its note described as 

 quite different. In fact, Dr. Jerdon speaks of no Cuckoo having 

 such a note as my bird. Two males were crying near the place 

 where this female was shot. As I desire to confer on it a distinct 

 title because of its different note, I cannot do better than 

 call it 



Cuculus monosyllabic us, sp. nov. 



To the particulars given above I may add that the iris is reddish 

 brown, skin round the eye bright yellow, edge of eyelid black. 

 Bill black, dingy yellowish-olive at the base. Gape and inside 

 the mouth orange; legs fine orange-yellow, with brownish 

 claws. Length neax'ly ]2 inches; wing 7*75 inches; bill, 

 from forehead, '83 inch, from gape 1-08 inch. Tail 5*6 inches. 



