1841.] Birds in the Museum of the Asiatic Society. 659 



throughout with darker bars. The wing coverts are a red brick 

 colour ; the scapulars, secondaries, and quills, barred with black. The 

 tail is fan-shaped, black, with small grey bars sloping to a point on 

 the shaft. The legs are black, and the long claw on the inner hind 

 toe rather less elongated than in the preceding specimen." — Centropus 

 Castanopterus. 



" This species is found in the Gorruckpore district, elsewhere I 

 have not observed it. In its manners and habits it is similar to the 

 common Mohoka, but its shape more comely by far." — C, W, SmitKs 

 MS. Notes, 



*' If, as I believe, not already named, I should propose the name of 

 Cen, Fasciatus, when its trivial character would stand as follows : — 



Cen. Fasciatus, Black Coucal, with brick red wings, barred with 

 black. 



Mr. Smith's next species is by far a more interesting bird, as it 

 seems to form the connecting link between the ground and tree 

 Cuckoos, partaking of the manners and general appearance of the 

 former, and having the short hind toes of the latter. It will probably 

 form a new genus of Cuculidce; but in the meantime till this be deter- 

 mined, perhaps the name of Centropus Cuculdides may be admitted. 

 Mr. Smith describes it as follows : — 



" Measures sixteen inches in length. The bill is a bright vermillion 

 slightly edged with yellow, and has a black spot about the centre 

 of the edge of the upper mandible ; there is a singular streak of 

 minute white feathers forming a line from the nostril to the lower part 

 of the eye : the latter is a dark brown, surrounded by white lashes. 

 The plumage upon the crown of the head, the hinder part of the neck, 

 the back, and wings, is a brownish satin colour, with black shafts ; 

 that on the throat, breast, and belly a faint orange, similarly marked ; 

 that of the tail dark grey, the two central ones wholly so, the next 

 have white tips. The legs are slate coloured ; and there is not the 

 long claw remarked in the hinder toe of the preceding birds." 



*' I met with this species at the Bherah lake, in the Gorruckpore 

 district, where it appeared to be pretty common, but I have not seen 

 it elsewhere. It greatly resembled the Mohoka in its manner of running 

 and flying. The natives, who delight in extraordinary stories, afiirm, 

 that it proclaims the morning, eve, and midnight hour by a pecu- 



4o 



