328 A HISTORY OF BIRDS 



The Indian Cuckoo, known as the brain-fever bird {Hiero- 

 Loccyx varius), even more closely resembles the Indian Sparrow- 

 hawk or Shikra {Astur badius). "All the markings of the 

 Hawk," says Mr. Frank Finn, "are reproduced in the Cuckoo 

 which is also of about the same size, and of similar proportions 

 in the matter of tail and wing ; and both Hawk and Cuckoo 

 having a first plumage quite different from the one they assume 

 when adults, the resemblance extends to that too. Moreover, 

 their flight is so much the same that unless one is near enough 

 to see the beak, or can watch the bird settle and see the differ- 

 ence between the horizontal pose of the Cuckoo and the erect 

 bearing of the Hawk, it is impossible to tell them apart on a 

 casual view. 



"The Hawk-cuckoo is parasitic on Babblers, and it has 

 been observed that when it appears these birds absent them- 

 selves as speedily as possible, so that it has every chance of 

 depositing its egg, which is blue like theirs, in security. More- 

 over, like the Drongo-cuckoo, it no doubt profits in a general 

 way by resembling a bird much stronger than itself" 



The Drongo-cuckoo {Surniculus lugubris) to which allusion 

 has just been made, is an Indian species which bears a very 

 striking likeness to the Drongo-shrike (Dicrurus ater), both being 

 black and having long forked tails. The Drongo-shrike or 

 " King Crow " is a very common bird in the East, and particu- 

 larly pugnacious in disposition, successfully driving away from its 

 haunts such predatory species as Crows and Kites. Hence the 

 Cuckoo doubtless derives advantage from its resemblance to a 

 bird which is held in such respect by the bullies of the region in 

 which it lives. But the Cuckoo has pushed its likeness to the 

 Shrike to the very bounds of impudence, for thereby it obtains — 

 what in any other dress it would certainly never do — access to 

 the nest of its model, and herein it lays its eggs and there leaves 

 them to be hatched. These pugnacious birds, so successful in 

 keeping at bay all obviously not of their own kind, are yet by 

 stratagem prevailed upon to rear the young of a parasite ! 

 Another Indian Cuckoo the Koel {Eudynamys), which is found 

 also in the Malay Archipelago, is no less successful in the art 

 of mimicry, and this, in order that it may similarly victimise 

 a species of Starling — the Myna {Eulabes javanensis). Both 

 sexes of the latter are black, and their young are also black. 



