240 A HAND-BOOK OF THE MANAGEMENT OF ANIMALS 



and majestically follows the object of its pursuit. Some of the fruit 

 pigeons feel the cold, and like nothing better than a snug warm corner ; 

 several of them may be seen of a windy winter morning sitting in 

 a row with half their bodies inside the nests. 



(128) THE INDIAN CUCKOO. 

 (CUCULUS MICROPTERUS— Gould.) 

 Bengali — Bou-katha-kau. 

 Well known in Bengal. 



Hab. — Common in Bengal and Northern India, the Himalayas, 

 and Central India ; it extends through Assam and Burmah to the 

 Malay countries. 



Length of life in captivity. 



About nine months. 



With respect to housing and feeding it may be treated like the 

 the next species. 



(129) THE COMMON HAWK CUCKOO. 



(HIEROCOCCYX VARIUS— {Vahl) ) 



Hindi and Bengali — Pdpia. 



The papia is a very well-known bird in Lower Bengal. 

 flab. —Found throughout the whole of India, and according to 

 some authorities also in Burmah and Malayana. 



Length of life in captivity. 



This species has also been very short-lived in the garden, owing 

 chiefly to the fact that generally adult specimens are received as 

 presentations, and they seldom become reconciled to captivity. 



Treatment in health. 



Housing.— -When captured young it does well as a cage-bird ; it 

 ought never to be placed in a large aviary with other birds; in the 

 first place, because it is extremely shy and does not like to live in the 

 open, and in the second, the smaller birds are very apt to worry it, 

 mistaking it for a shikra, which it somewhat resembles. 



Food. — Satoo, fruits, insects : for young birds satoo should be 

 made into a soft pulp. 



Treatment in sickness. 



Adult birds pine away and die; the younger birds surfer from 

 cold and rheumatism) the result generally of careless feeding and 

 exposure. 



