56 



BLUE COUCAL. 

 (Polophilus Ceeruleus.) 



P. cceruleo-viridis violaceoque versicolor; rostro pedibusque atris ; 



ungue interiore postico breviore. 

 Coucal of blue green colour changing to violet ; beak and legs 



black : interior hinder claw shorter than is usual in this 



genus. 



Le Coua tait-sou. Le Fail. Ois. d'Afriq. 5. 6g.pl. 218. 



Le tait-sou. Buff. Hist. Nat. d'Ois. 6. 391. 18. 



Cuculus ceeruleus. Lin. Syst. Nat. I. ifl. 15. — Gmel. Syst. 



Nat. I. 418. — Lath. Lid. Orn. l. 217 • 33. 

 Cuculus madagascariensis ceeruleus. Briss. 4. 156. 26. 13. U 

 Blue cuckow. Lath. Syn. 2. 531. 29. 

 Coucou bleu de Madagascar. Buff. PL Enl. 2Q5. 2. 



This Coucal differs from all the other species in 

 having its hinder inner claw comparatively short. 

 Its length is about fourteen inches ; the whole 

 plumage is of a beautiful blue green, changing in 

 certain lights to violet ; legs and claws black y eyes 

 reddish. 



The female is somewhat smaller than the male, 

 and the colours are less vivid. 



This bird inhabits the forests of Caffraria and 

 Madagascar, perching on the tops of large trees, 

 and uttering the note courrrrrrr-courrrrrr often 

 repeated. It feeds principally on fruit. 



