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THE BIRDS OF CALCUTTA: 



are far too many of his kind about already. Such 

 have been known to confound the Koel with the 

 brain-fever bird, which, however, is a quite distinct 

 species, much more like the home cuckoo, and known 



Brain-fever bird. 

 {Hierococcyx varius. ) 



in books as the Hawk-cuckoo {Hierococcyx varius) 

 from his remarkable resemblance in plumage and 

 general form and flight to the common Indian 

 Sparrow-hawk or Shikra {Astur badius). His note, 

 however, fully entitles him to his ordinary desig- 

 nation, whether from its " damnable iteration " or 

 from its remarkable resemblance to the word " brain- 

 fever " -repeated in a piercing voice running up the 

 scale ; although an equally worthy rendering of the 

 performance, which has the merit of including the 

 overture preceding the triple note, is, " lor ' ! 

 lor ' ! how very hot it's getting — I feel it, I feel it," 

 &c., &c., &c. The brain-fever bird in youth is nurtured 



