The Lark-heeled Cuckoo 239 



Moluccas and Australia, the female is generally the larger 

 bird, but it is not known that the smaller male is destined 

 to the bringing up of the family. The nest which these 

 birds build is a domed structure of grass on the ground, and 

 the birds themselves are inhabitants of the bush, some of 

 them being so like Game-birds in their walk and appearance 

 that they have been called Pheasant-Cuckoos. In the 

 Centropi, however, there is no difference in plumage between 

 the sexes, and the long claw on the hind-toe, which has 

 gained for them the name of " Lark-heeled Cuckoo," is 

 present in both male and female birds. Thus we know at 

 present of only the difference in size between the sexes of 

 these tropical Cuckoos, and in this respect they resemble 

 the Birds of Prey. In the latter the female is generally the 

 larger bird, but not invariably, for many of the Accipitrcs 

 differ very little as regards the size of the male and female, 

 and where there is a great dissimilarity in colour, the 

 advantage lies on the side of the male, as is seen in the 

 Kestrels iCercJnieis) and in the Harriers {Circus) 



In many species of birds where the males are of more 

 distinguished appearance or of brighter plumage than the 

 hens, there is often a great display on the part of the 

 former, indulged in, no doubt, for the purpose of winning 

 the regard of the ladies, and of showing what fine fellows 

 the male birds really are. In this there is something 

 which will appeal to the ordinary man. Thus, when a 

 swain enters the drawing-room of the house where his in- 

 tended dwells, he has not donned his frock-coat and white 

 waistcoat, his light gloves and the flower in his button- 

 hole, for nothing, and though he does not say on the 

 entrance of the adored one, " Did you ever see such a 

 nice man as I am .' " he means it all the same. Just in 

 the same way does the Peacock, that emblem of vanity, 

 raise on high his spangled train, and strut in presence of 

 the female, shaking his beautiful " hundred eyed " feathers, 



