1110 A Monograph of the Indian and [No. 131. 



from the variety of species and genera of Cuculidce which have been 

 here described, is very likely to disclose some new phases or modifi- 

 cations of procedure elucidative of the enquiry for what ultimate 

 purpose do certain birds of this family, as also the American Molo- 

 thrahs, consign the charge of their progeny to alien species. Already, 

 it is well ascertained that the Coel — a permanently resident species 

 — is parasitic, which is opposed to the hypothesis founded on the mi- 

 gratory habits of the Northern species, and I particularly recommend 

 the study of all that relates to the propagation of this very common 

 bird to those who may have the opportunity of making observations, 

 as also that of another common species — the Centropus Phillipensis, 

 besides which the Cuculus fugax appears to be everywhere abundant, 

 and in Bengal the C. (Oxylophus) edolius. The Malkohas and 

 their allies are much more common in the Malay countries than in 

 India, and they are also particularly worthy of investigation : but the 

 truth is that, in every instance, carefully recorded and trustworthy 

 observations are needed, for their intrinsic interest as well as for sup- 

 plying materials upon which to generalize; and I trust that by fur- 

 nishing a Monograph of the known species, I remove one principal 

 difficulty on the part of many willing observers, who may oftentimes 

 have been discouraged and deterred by the difficulty of ascertaining 

 what bird it is they have been noticing, apart from which knowledge 

 there is comparatively little satisfaction in noting down traits of 

 habit, whence numberless curious discoveries may be said to die still- 

 born, which otherwise might be turned to account. 



The strictly parasitic Cuckoos (at least the British species, and 

 it may be inferred the rest), together with the American Molothrahs, 

 do not pair, as no object would be attained by their doing so, nor are 

 they polygamous in the ordinary sense of the term, but the sexes are 

 promiscuous in their intercourse; whence a number of males may 

 occasionally be seen chasing a single female at any period of the breed- 

 ing season: and with regard to the Molothrahs, these are gregarious 

 at all times, each female withdrawing herself from the flock and setting 

 out in quest of other birds' nests when she wants to lay ; the which 

 I mention, to notice a very curious observation by Mr. Nuttall (which 

 I give from memory), to the effect that in the nearly allied genus 

 of Troopials {Agelaius, Veillot), in which the Molothrahs are still 



