188 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



SOME COMMON INDIAN BIEDS. 

 By Gordon Dalgliesh. 



(Concluded from p. 150.) 



A more beautiful bird even than the " Coppersmith " is often 

 to be seen in Indian gardens — the Blue-faced Barbet (Cyanops 

 asiatica), a most gorgeously coloured bird, "with shades of blue, 

 green, and bright crimson all blended together in exquisite 

 harmony. The note of this Barbet differs considerably from 

 that of the "Coppersmith," and may be likened to the syllables 

 " kuturruk," uttered at slow intervals, but is quite as monotonous 

 as that of Xantholcema hcematocephala. 



To the exile in India, who is forced to remain indoors during 

 the greater part of the long, hot, Indian summer's day, the' 

 different cries and sounds of birds, beasts, and insects, heard 

 day after day with no change, begin at length to become irksome. 

 I have above alluded to the none too melodious cry of the Bar- 

 bets, but this can in no way compare with the cordially detested 

 voice of the Hawk-Cuckoo, or "Brain-fever Bird" (Hierococeyx 

 varius). As sure as its voice is heard throughout the land, so 

 surely is the summer approaching, with its heat and numerous 

 discomforts. When the temperature is well over a hundred in 

 the shade, then the " Brain-fever Bird " begins to tune up, and 

 its hateful cry is heard all day and night, too ; indeed, it is 

 a mystery to me how or when it finds time for eating or sleep- 

 ing. If you can imagine someone whistling in a very shrill high 

 key, and gradually ascending the scale to its fullest pitch, then 

 coming half-way down again, and finally ending up with " brain 

 fever," repeated several times — or, as some have it, " we feel it " 

 — you have a very good idea of the bird's cry. Another render- 

 ing of it is : "0 lor' ! lor' ! how very hot it's getting. I feel 

 it ; I feel it." The "Brain-fever Bird " is another of the para- 

 sitic Cuckoos, and deposits its eggs in the nests of the " Seven 

 Sister " Birds {Crateropus canorus). It has been said that " India 



