204 



completed their task for the season in the hills, and then left them to straggle over the plains of 

 the south." To this I may add that Mr. Layard says he obtained one near Colombo, in Ceylon. 



In Northern Asia it ranges tolerably far north ; but Von MiddendorfF states that it does not 

 reach the Boganida, though he found it common on the Stanowoi Mountains, even up to the 

 very top. He first heard its call on the 17th (29th) May on the Utsehur river, about 500 versts 

 south-east of the Amginskaja-Sloboda. Von Schrenck met with it along the Amoor, and says 

 that, according to the Tymy-Giljaks, it is not rare on ihe island of Saghalien; and Dr. Eadde 

 speaks of it as being extremely numerous in Dauria, where it does not visit the bare elevated 

 steppes nor the dense forest, but the edges of forests and bush-covered hills. In some parts, as 

 near Kumara, this species and Cuculus (Hierococcyx) sparveroides are both met with ; and in the 

 Bureja Mountains both these species, as well as Cuculus Mmalayanus (which he calls Cuculus 

 optatus), occur. It occurs in China, Pere David says, in tolerably large numbers. He met with 

 it on the Kiangsi, Setchuan, at Pekin, and in Mongolia, both in the plains and on the mountains. 

 Its Chinese name at Pekin is, he adds, Keu-kou. Mr. Swinhoe says that it is a migrant at Amoy, 

 arriving in autumn and spring and sojourning only a few days, but it breeds in Shanghai. He 

 also obtained one near Taiwanfoo in September, but never heard or saw it on any other occasion 

 in Formosa. I have examined a specimen from Japan, where it was obtained by Captain 

 Blakiston and Mr. Whitely ; and it is said by the latter gentleman to be common in summer 

 at Hakodadi. 



How far south in Asia the European Cuckoo ranges it is difficult to say; but, as above 

 stated, Dr. Meyer records it from Celebes; and Blyth asserts (Ibis, 1870, p. 350) that a specimen 

 from Eastern Timor is undistinguishable from examples of Cuculus canorus. 



There are in Asia, besides our common European Cuckoo, two tolerably closely allied 

 species, viz.: — Cuculus Mmalayanus, Vigors (P. Z. S. 1831, p. 172), which is also the Cuculus 

 canoroides of Sal. Muller (Land- en Volkenk. p. 235, 1839-44), which differs from the common 

 Cuckoo of Europe in having a stouter bill, in being smaller in size, the wing measuring only 

 7'0-7'25 inches in length, and in having the bands on the breast broader and more clearly 

 denned. In Lord Tweeddale's collection are specimens from Darjeeling, the Karen hills, the 

 Andamans, and Timor ; and those from the Andamans have the bands much broader than in any 

 of the others, whereas, on the other hand, one from Timor has the bands as thinly defined as in 

 ordinary examples of Cuculus canorus. 



Cuculus micropterus, Gould (P. Z. S. 1837, p. 137), resembles the broadly banded examples 

 of Cuculus Mmalayanus, but may at once be distinguished by its tail, which, instead of being 

 uniform blackish marked with white, is blackish brown, or dark brown with a conspicuous 

 terminal black band. 



In habits the Cuckoo is wild and shy, a tolerably swift bird on the wing, frequenting chiefly 

 such places as are well covered with trees or groves ; and so shy and watchful is it, that to 

 approach within gunshot-range of it is generally most difficult. During the spring, however, it 

 will at times forget its usual caution, especially when under the excitement usual at that season 

 of the year; for I have seen my friend Mr. Sachse, by accurately mimicking the call of the bird, 

 often bring a Cuckoo quite close to us. When flying over the open, it bears a good deal of 

 resemblance to the Sparrow-Hawk or the Kestril; and it is frequently followed by various 



