CUCULTN^. 327 



with white ; in some with a few white spots, successively more 

 developed on the outer tail-feathers. 



Bill blackish, yellow at the base beneath, and at the gape ; legs 

 yellow ; orbits light wax-yellow ; irides pale dusky, or yellow- 

 brown. 



Length 12 to 12i; extent 23 ; wing 7|-; tail 5f ; bill at front 

 nearly 1 inch ; tarsus |. 



In old birds the color above is deep ashy ; but in those only 

 once moulted, the hue is a bronzed ash-brown, with the head 

 and neck grey, and some slight traces of rufous on the sides 

 of the neck and wings. The young are much mottled with 

 blackish and white, especially on the head, neck, and back ; the 

 quills and tail have rufous bars and tips; but they have less 

 rufous than the young of the common Cuckoo, and are much 

 less barred. 



The Indian Cuckoo differs conspicuously from the common one 

 by its larger bill, shorter wings, browner upper parts, in the trans- 

 verse bands of the lower surface being broader and more distant, in 

 its dusky irides, and especially in its note. It is spread over a con- 

 siderable part of India, being rare in the South, but common in 

 the North of India. I have found it rare on the Malabar coast and 

 in the Carnatic ; it is also rare in Ceylon ; but tolerably common in 

 the jungles of Central India, as at Nagpore, Chanda, Mhow, and 

 Saugor, and it is moderately common in Lower Bengal and more 

 so on the Himalayas. It extends to Assam, Burmah, and the 

 Malay countries. It is very common at Darjeeling in the spring, 

 and repeats its call more frequently than the other Cuckoos. This 

 is a double note of two syllables each, a fine melodious pleasing 

 whistle, which the natives of Bengal attempt to imitate by their 

 name Bokutako. Tickell remarks that it is like a double repetition 

 of the word Cuckoo. 



It has similar manners and habits to the common Cuckoo, 

 uttering its call from the top of a high tree, and flying from tree 

 to tree. It feeds chiefly on caterpillars. It has not been ascer- 

 tained in what bird's nest this species deposits her eggs ; but very 

 probably on the plains it selects the genus Malacocercus. 



