INSESSORBS. 



245 



Atlas, Ornithology, Plate XXI, fig. 1. Adult. 



Of the various species of typical Cuculns, all bearing more or less 

 intimate affinity to the well-known European species and type of its 

 genus [Cuculus canorus), we cannot at present undertake the difficult 

 task of a critical examination. But we have seen a sufficient number 

 of forms apparently distinct, and presenting remarkable general re- 

 semblances to each other to enable us to infer that very considerable 

 difficulties await the ornithologist in this complex group, and in fact, 

 from the short and frequently vQxy imperfect descriptions on which he 

 must rely, we deem it nearly impossible to identify some of the species 

 mentioned in the works of authors. 



The bird now before us is one of those to which we allude, though 

 it appears to be that described by Lesson, as above cited, in which 

 conclusion we are confirmed by labels on specimens in the Rivoli col- 

 lection, now a part of the Ornithological Collection of the Academy of 

 Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 



A specimen of this species in the collection of the Expedition, was 

 obtained in Mangsi, one of the Sooloo Islands, and is in good plumage 

 and preservation. It is represented of the size of life in our plate, as 

 above cited. 



2. CucuLUS SiMUS, Peale. 

 Cuculus simiis, Peale, Zool. U. S. Exp. Exp. Birds, p. 134 (first edition, 1848). 

 Atlas, Ornithology, Plate XXI, fig. 2. Adult. 



C. cinerascenti similis. Corpore supra saturate olivaceo-fmco, wfra riifo 

 castaneo, gutture imllidiore. Long. tot. 9i- pollices. 



Form. — Very similar to that of Cuculus cmerascens, Vig. and Horsf , 

 but smaller. Bill rather thick, wide at base, curved ; wing mode- 

 rate; third quill longest; tail rather long, graduated; middle feathers 



claw, one inch j claw, seven-twentieths of an inch ; outer hind toe, eight-tenths of an inch ; 

 claw, two-tenths of an inch ; bill, seven-tenths of an inch ; to the angle of the mouth, 

 one and one-twentieth of an inch; width at the nostrils, three-tenths of an inch." 



62 



