i6a 



Hornbill Cuckoo of the Colonists, which, perhaps, you may think 

 worth bringing under the notice of the Zoological Society. 



_ "A few years since a fine female specimen was shot in the Bota- 

 nical Garden at Sydney ; and from the notes I took at the time I find 

 that the peculiarity of its mode of flight induced me to mistake it for 

 a Hawk ; for it wheeled about, occasionally hovered very high in the 

 air, and then gradually descending, continued its flight close to the 

 tops of the lofty Eucalypti, Caauaritue, and other large trees, as if 

 for the purpose of capturing insects, more especially the Tettigonia 

 or Locust, which at that season of the year (January) were very 

 numerous. It also whirled round the trees in circles and from 

 branch to branch, apparently to capture the Tettigonias and other 

 insects during their flight; and I further observed that it often 

 darted down and took its prey among the foliage and on the 

 trunks of the large Eucalypti, occasionally making a screaming 

 noise and hovering with its wings expanded to the utmost, at a short 

 distance above the trees, precisely as a hawk does. After making 

 these various evolutions and securing its morning meal, it quiet K 

 perched itself on the very lofty branch, whence it was shot. On 

 examining the stomach, it was found to contain Gold Beetles {Ano- 

 plognathus) and Tettigonice in great numbers. A young specimen 

 formerly in the possession of Mr. Wall, the Curator of the Austra- 

 lian Museum, and now in the well-arranged and extensive aviary of 

 Mr. Alfred Denison at Government House, Sydney, is in excellent 

 health after recovering from a broken wing and broken leg. 



"I observe you mention in your 'Birds of Australia ' that a spe- 

 cimen was presented to you by Lady Howling, being one of two 

 taken from the branch of a tree while being fed by birds not of their 

 own species : an important fact, as showing the parasitic habits of tin- 

 bird. Now as the Scythrops is regarded as a member of the Cucu- 

 Udce, anything which tends to confirm the propriety of placing it in 

 that group must be considered of great interest ; I have much plea- 

 sure, therefore, in telling you that when the young Scythrops was in- 

 troduced into Mr. Henison's aviary it was placed in a compart mint 

 already occupied by a Dacelo gigantea, and, doubtless feeling hungry 

 after its journey, immediately opened its mouth to be fed ; and its 

 wants were readily attended to by the Dacelo, who with great kindness 

 took a piece of meat, and after sufficiently preparing it by beating it 

 about until it was in a tender and pappy state, placed it carefully in 

 the gaping mouth of the young Scythrops; this feeding procest 

 continued until the bird was capable of attending to its own wants, 

 which it now does, feeding in company with the Dacelo in the usual 

 manner. When I saw it in the morning it was perched Upon t In- 

 most elevated resting place in the aviary, occasionally raising itself, 

 flapping its wings, and then quietly BCttling down again alter the 



manner of Hawks in confinement, and presenting much the appear- 

 ance of a member of that tribe of birds. It Comes down for food 

 every morning, and immediately returns to its elevated perch. 

 Judging from what I saw of this specimen, I should imagine that the 



bird might be very readily tamed and would hear Confinement \en 



