Cuming's Cuckoo. 



PJmnicophmus Cumingi, Fraser, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1839, p. 112. 



The bird now before us belongs to the family Cuculidce, and to that sub-division of the 

 genus Phcemcophceus to which Mr. Swainson has applied the term Dasylophus. For a knowledge 

 of this beautiful and very interesting species of Cuckoo, science is indebted to the researches 

 of Hugh Cuming, Esq., who discovered it during his sojourn in the Philippine Islands, where 

 it appears to be exceedingly rare, only two perfect specimens having been procured. 



To the specimen from which the accompanying figure was taken, the following notes were 

 appended : — 



" Ansic En Bicol, language of Albay. Eyes red; pupil large and black; length from beak to tail, 

 eight inches and a half; around the body, five inches. — IT. Cuming." 



This species may at once be distinguished from all the known members of the family by 

 the singular structure of the feathers of its crest and throat: the shafts of these feathers being 

 expanded at their extremities into laminae, which may be compared to the shavings of whale- 

 bone; and in this respect they resemble the crest-feathers of the Toucan, to which Mr. 

 Gould, in his Monograph, applies the name of Pteroglossus ulocomus, but are not curled as in 

 that bird. 



The Phcenkophceus Cumingi is found among the forest trees, in the province of Albay, 

 Philippine Islands, and was presented to the Society by Hugh Cuming, Esq., Corresponding 

 Member. 



The feathers above the nostrils, of the crest and chin, and down the middle of the throat, 

 are grey at the base, each having a decided white spot towards the middle, and the terminal 

 broad expansion of the shaft is a glossy black, with blue or greenish reflections; the external 

 edge of the expanded portion of the shaft is minutely pectinated; the occiput and sides of 

 the head are grey, passing into dirty white on the cheeks and sides of the throat; the hinder 

 part and sides of the neck, as well as the breast, are of a deep chesnut colour; the back, wings, 

 and tail are of a deep shining green, all the tail feathers are broadly tipped with white; the 

 vent, thighs, and under tail-coverts are dusky brown, tinged with green; the bill is horn 

 colour, and the feet are olive. 



Total length, sixteen inches. 



