CUCULTN.E. 343 



The female is glossy dusky -green, spotted with white above, and 

 the wings and tail banded with white ; beneath wliite, with black 

 spots, longitudinal on the throat and neck, somewhat heart-shaped 

 or arrow-shaped on the breast, and transverse on the abdomen, 

 thigh-coverts, and under tail-coverts. 



Length 17^- inches ; wing nearly 8 ; tail S. 



The young female has the white spots and marks much tinged 

 ■with rufous ; and the young male has a good deal of white on 

 his plumage. 



This well-known species is found throughout India, extending 

 to Ceylon, the Burmese countries, and parts of Maiayana to the Phi- 

 lippines. It frequents gardens, groves, avenues, and open jungles; 

 and feeds almost exclusively, I believe, on fruit of various kinds, 

 especially on those of the banian, peepul, and other figs ; also, says 

 Mr. Blyth, much on that of Mimusops elengi. Several may often be 

 seen together on one tree; but it is not gregarious. Mr. Blyth 

 states that it ejects by the mouth the large seeds of any fruit 

 that it has eaten. 



The Koel is by no means a shy bird ; but has the usual quiet 

 imobtrusive habits of the ordinary Cuckoos, gliding about the 

 branches of trees : when it takes wing, however, it is remarkable 

 for its noisy cries. 



About the breeding season the Koel is very noisy, and may be 

 tlien heard at all times, even during the night, frequently uttering 

 its well-known cry of ku-il ku-il, increasing in vigour and inten- 

 sity as it goes on. The male bird has also another note, which 

 Blyth syllables as Ho-ioliee-ho, or Ho-a-o, or Ho-y-o. When it takes 

 flight, it has yet another somewhat melodious and rich liquid 

 call ; all thoroughly (^uculine. 



The female Koel, as has Lmg been known in India, deposits her 

 eo-o-s almost exclusivelv in the nest of the Common Crow (Corvus: 

 splendens), more rarely in that of the Carrion Crow [C. culminatus). 

 She only, in general, lays one egu in each Crow's nest, and mostly, 

 but not always, destroys the eggs of the Crow at the time of de- 

 positing her own. It is a popular belief that the Crow discovers 

 the imposture when the young Koel is nearly full-grown, and 



