280 



BIRD-PARASITES 



December, 1891, and on January 4, 1907 — ^the latter in a 

 bush overhanging a pool of the Bluekrantz Eiver in Feather- 

 stone Valley, near Grahamstown. The Cuckoos are all 



Fig. 143.— Black Cuckoo. 



friends of the farmers, feeding on spiders, insects and 

 caterpillars. 



The Emerald Cuckoo {Chrysococcyx smaragdineus) is of 

 a bright satiny emerald green colour above, and below 

 as far as the upper breast ; rest of under-surface canary 

 yellow, excepting the under-tail coverts which are white. 

 The female has the head ashy black and the upper-surface 



