45 



GIGANTIC COUCAL. 

 (Polophilus Gigas.) 



P. supra rubro-brunneus, pennis medio pallide rufescentibus, trans- 

 versim fusco-fasciatis ; remigibus rufo-fusco et rufo-Jlavo alter- 

 natimjasciatis ; rectricibus rufo-ci?iereis Jusco-fasciatis albido- 

 terminatis ; subtus rtifus nigricante jasciatus. 



Coucal, of a reddish-brown above, with the middle of the fea- 

 thers pale rufous, transversely barred with brown ; quills al- 

 ternately barred with rufous-brown and rufous-yellow; tail- 

 feathers rufous-grey, barred with brown, and tipped with 

 white ; beneath rufous barred with blackish. 



Le Coucal geant. Le Vail. Ois. cTAfriq, 5. 86, pi. 223. ' 



This is the largest species of Concal known, 

 being no less than thirty inches in length; the 

 length of the interior hinder claw is two inches. 



It inhabits Africa : the hinder part of the head 

 and neck, the wing-coverts, and the back are of 

 a brownish-red colour, bordering on olive : the 

 shaft of each feather is pale red, the feather itself 

 being banded with brownish-black. The tail- 

 quills are reddish-ash colour, banded with brown- 

 ish-black, and terminated with whitish : the under 

 part of the body is reddish, banded with sooty- 

 black : the beak is brown : the feet and claws 

 blackish. Its economy is unknown. 



