54 AVES. 



or four at a meal ; the Malays say that they sometimes go on 

 to the sea-beach to eat small fish. Mr. Motley's specimens 

 were kept in a rattan-cage, and were chiefly fed upon boiled 

 rice, rolled into balls, and which they bolted with great 

 avidity ; they became very tame, and always greeted their 

 feeder with a croak ; on one occasion they bolted some 

 ducklings, which ventured within reach of their beaks. When 

 first procured, one of these was very young, and without any 

 symptoms of a horn upon his head ; it grew, however, very 

 rapidly. Small flocks of these birds may sometimes be seen 

 at dusk, flying steadily along over the tops of the jungle, and 

 evidently bound for a long flight. Their note is a very harsh 

 and discordant croak, uttered with the mouth wide open, and 

 with a curious alternate movement of the floor of the mouth 

 and the short tongue at every repetition. It lasts sometimes 

 for a minute or more, and is very striking when heard in the 

 woods ; it sounds something between the bray of an ass 

 and the croak of a Landrail. 



Order Scan sores. 

 Fam. Cuculidae. 



Sub-fam. Coccyzinze. 

 Gen. Centropus. 



Centropus philippensis (Ilorsf.). 



General colour black, excepting the wings and centre of the 

 back between them, which parts are bright rufous. Ou some 

 parts of the plumage, the crown of the head and neck more es- 

 pecially, there are vivid steel-blue reflections when seen in a good 

 light. 



Legs, claws, and beak black. 



Tail much rounded, the outer feathers being six inches shorter 

 than the centre feathers. 



The feathers ou the head, neck, and back are rigid and bristly. 

 Length, about 1 foot 9^ inches. 



„ of bill, from gape, nearly 1 inch 9 lines. 



„ „ front, 1^ inch. 



„ of wings, 8| inches. 



,, of tail, \\\ inches. 



„ of tarsus, 2 inches 1 line. 



„ of middle toe, 1 inch \()}i lines. 



„ of versatile toe, 1 inch 7 linos. 



,, of inner toe, 1 inch •'! lines. 



