284 cuckow. 



behind, back, scapulars, rump, and upper wing and tail coverts, 

 greenish black, spotted and marked with white, appearing gilded 

 brown in some lights; the under parts, from the chin, marbled with 

 dusky, on a white ground, most conspicuous on the chin and throat ; 

 the tail half the length of the bird, and cuneiform ; the two middle 

 feathers, and outer webs of the others, marked with ten or twelve 

 pale, rufous, curved bands ; legs yellow brown. 



The young bird is a trifle smaller, and though much the same as 

 to general colour, wants the rufous tinge on the crown of the head ; 

 many young birds are light rufous, where the adult is marked with 

 white, and the ground colour dull greenish brown. 



M. Levaillant met with this bird near Swartedooren, and Kausssi, 

 which are rapid rivers in the little Namaqua's Country; but it being 

 at a season after they had bred, he can give no account of the eggs, 

 or of the note; it is, however, certain, that in the five specimens 

 which were obtained, no signs whatever appeared of their having sit 

 on the eggs in a nest ; said to feed on insects, especially grasshoppers, 

 caterpillars, and pupae of butterflies. 



According to M. Brisson, it is found at Mindanao, one of the 

 Philippine Islands ; at first sight might be taken for a young 

 European Cuckow. 



The Eastern Black Cuckow, and the Mindanao Species, are found 

 to be the two sexes of one and the same bird, of which the former is 

 the male : these are not uncommon in Java, w^here the male is called 

 Tuhu, and the female Chule ; are also found in New-Holland, as a 

 pair of them from thence are in the Museum of the Linnaean Society. 



