COUCALS 57 



The Crested Barbet {Trachyphonus cafer) has a black crest 

 and a red rump. The mottled yellow and black plumage is 

 also suffused with red on the sides of the face and lower breast. 

 Length, 7^- to 8 inches. 



It is not uncommon in the region on the Crocodile River 

 mentioned above, and appears to be fairly common through- 

 out the Bush veld, and their habits do not differ from those 

 of other Barbets. 



COUCALS 



The Coucals {Centrcypodince) form a sub-family of the 

 Culculidce, but differ in several structural characters, besides 

 the important fact that whereas the latter are birds parasitic 

 upon other birds, the Coucals build their own nests and 

 incubate their own eggs. 



There are seven species in South Africa, only four of 

 which need concern us here. Two of these are the closely 

 allied Black-headed Coucal {Gentropus burchelli), and the 

 White-browed Coucal {C. super ciliosus). Both birds are 

 called the " Vlei Lourie " by the Boers. 



Both are rufous-brown above ; the tail greenish-black 

 narrowly tipped with white (this is not always apparent in 

 worn specimens) ; below bufT- white. Burchelli has a glossy 

 black head, with sometimes a few white feathers in front of 

 the eye, forming the commencement of an eyebrow ; there 

 are generally a few white shaft streaks on the neck. Super- 

 ciliosus has a dull brown head with a distract whitish eye- 

 brow ; the nape, upper back and sides of neck are profusely 

 streaked with white shaft liaes, many of the feathers being 

 also edged with black. Length, about 14|- to 16 inches. 



Professor Eeichenow does not iaclude South Africa within 

 the geographical range of the White-browed Coucal, treating 

 this bird as a Tropical species, but we think the evidence of 



