DASYLOPHUS SUPERCILIOSUS. 



(Hairy-browed Cuckoo.) 



Phoenicophaus superciliosus, Drap., Diet. Class. d'Hist. Nat. x. p. 55 (1826, ex Cuv. MS.) ; Less., Man. d'Orn. ii. 



p. 127 (1828) ; Guerin-Menev., Iconogr. Regne Anim. Cuv. pi. 33. fig. 1. 

 Melias superciliosus, Less., Tr. d'Orn. p. 133 (1831). 

 Basylophus superciliosus, Swains., Classif. B. ii. p. 324, fig. 286 a (1837); Gray & Mitch., Gen. B. ii. p. 459, 



pi. 116 (1845); Blyth, Cat. B. Mus. A. S. B. p. 75 (1849) ; Bp., Consp. Gen. Av. i. p. 98 (1850); 



Cab. & Heine, Mus. Hein. Th. iv. p. 70 (1862) ; Gray, Hand-1. B. ii. p. 206 (1870) ; Sharpe, P. Z. S. 



1873, p. 603, fig. 7 ; Wald., Trans. Z. S. ix. p. 162 (1875). 

 Phcenicophaus ornatus, Blyth, J. A. S. B. 1842, p. 925. 



The genera of the subfamily Phosnicophainw seem to possess, one and all, well-marked structural characters ; 

 but in none is this more distinctly the case than in the present beautiful bird, which is the typical and only 

 species of the genus Dasylophus. Many of the allied genera show striking differences in the form of the 

 nostril ; but in this bird there is nothing in particular to observe with respect to this organ, excepting that 

 it is completely hidden by a large tuft of bristly plumes. No other Cuckoo, however, exhibits the extra- 

 ordinary well-developed tufts of red hair-like feathers which stand out in bold relief on either side of the 

 head, resembling in a slight degree the fantastic head-dress of an Indian chief. 



As far as we yet know, this singular Cuckoo is only found in the island of Luzon, and is perhaps confined 

 to that locality. Dr. Meyer shot some in the above-named island ; and I myself have received it from the 

 vicinity of Manilla. Of its habits and economy we know literally nothing. Lord Walden, who examined 

 Dr. Meyer's specimens, states that the bill of a male bird is higher and stouter than that of a female. 



Adult. — Black, glossed with green, the wings also green like the back, the quills more or less inclining 

 to steel-blue ; tail glossy green or black, with steel-blue reflexions, all the feathers broadly tipped with 

 white ; head black all round, rather shaded with olive on the side of the neck ; sides of face bare round the 

 eye ; lores and nasal bristles black ; over the eye a narrow line of white surmounted by a long eye-brow of 

 scarlet bristles, arranged in tufts and extending from above the lores to the sides of the occiput ; rest of 

 under surface dull olive green, washed with steel-blue on the flanks and under tail-coverts. Total length 

 157 inches, culmen 1*5, wing 63, tail 9*5, tarsus 1*45. 



The description and figure are taken from a fine adult skin in my collection from Manilla, — whence also I 

 have a second bird, rather more oily-green in tint than the one described ; this specimen is also represented 

 in the Plate. The figures are of the natural size. 



