184 CUCULID^ CHRYSOCOCCYX 



naturalist who has observed the nesting habits of this cuckoo. He 

 says: "In December, 1891, I watched one of these birds for 

 several hours, and finally saw her fly into a thornbush close to a 

 picnic party. On going to the bush I found a nest of Andropadus 

 importunus containing two eggs with the usual markings of grey 

 and brown, together with a single large white cuckoo's egg slightly 

 incubated, while the others were fresh, I have noticed that both 

 this and the former species (Cuculus solitarius) seem to return to 

 the same neighbourhood every year." 



Genus II. CHRYSOCOCCYX. 



Type. 

 Chrysococcyx, Boie, Isis, 1827, p. 977 C. cupreus. 



Bill somewhat slender, no crest, wings long and pointed, but 

 the longest (third) primary only exceeding the secondaries by about 

 one-third the total length of the wing ; tarsus thickly feathered 

 .almost to the toes. Plumage with brilliant metallic colouration. 

 Sexes differing to a considerable extent. 



This genus, if the Indian forms be included, as is done by 

 Blanford, is spread over Africa south of the Sahara, southern Asia 

 and the East India Islands as far as Australia and New Zealand. 

 Three out of the four African species are here described. 



Key of the Species. 



A. Metallic-green above, unbarred. 



a. Throat green, contrasting with the 



yellow breast and abdomen C. smaragdineus ^ , ^.185. 



h. Below uniform white or barred, never 

 yellow, 

 a'. Outer tail-feather white, with narrow 

 dusky-green bars ; a patch of 



green on either side of the chest C. klaasi $ , p. 186. 



6'. Outer tail-feather dusky-green, with 



about five round white spots on 



both webs, no green on the chest. 



a^. Dusky-bronze bars not crossing 



the chest C. cupreus $ , p. 189. 



V. Dusky-bronze bars crossing the 



chest C. cupreus ? , p. 189. 



B. Metallic-green above, barred with rufous. 

 a. Head ashy-black. 



a^. Below white, barred throughout 



with green C. smaragdineus J , p. 185. 



