38



Dr. E. Hopkinson,



species they belonged, but rather think they came from South Africa

and were therefore probably burchelli.*


Indian Coucal or “ Crow-Pheasant ” ( C . sinensis).


The range of this bird extends from India to China, Malaya,

the Malay Islands, and the Philippines. Its plumage is black

glossed with green and set off by a chestnut wing-patch ; in length

it measures 19 in. Finn ( l. c .) says that it is often brought into

the Calcutta bird-market, but not as a pet, but on account of some

fancied medicinal value. In Oates and Blanford will be found a full

description of the plumage, etc., and a paragraph on its habits in a

natural state. As a cage-bird it is included among the Coucals

mentioned by Russ (t. c. supra under “ Society Cuckoo ”), who tells

us that it first appeared in the Zoo list in 1867. To this writer I

also owe the cage records for the remainder of the Coucals wdiich I

mention.


Lesser Coucal (C. bengalensis).


This species, also a native of India, is a small edition of the

preceding. It has been on exhibition in the Amsterdam Zoo.


Australian Coucal (G. phasiamcs).


A black bird with chestnut wing-patches and dull green under

parts. Its exhibition in the London (1872) and the Berlin Zoos

(1897) is on record.


New Guinea Coucal ( C . menebeki.).


This is another black bird not unlike the Australian, which

inhabits New Guinea and some of the neighbouring islands. Buss

records one instance of its living arrival in Europe, the importation

of some by Fockelmann, of Hamburg, in 1894, who, in reference to

this event writes as follows to Buss :


“ In May, 1894, I had five ‘ Mohrenkukuke,’ since then

“ I have seen no others. One of them, the Zoological Garden

“ at Hamburg had, two went to a private customer in Italy



* [Since tlie above was written when looking through some back numbers of the

Magazine, I have come across (1909, p. 119) an account by Mr. G. H. Gurney

of the keeping in captivity of another species of Coucal, the White-browed

(C. superciliosus) from East Africa. This is described by the writer as

having been a charmingly tame and interesting pet.



