57 



BLACK COUCAL. 

 (Polophilus Maurus.) 



P. corpore toto atro-tiigro (femince ventre nigro ) ; ungue postico 



interno longissimojlexuoso. 

 Coucal with the whole body black (belly of the female sooty 



black) ; interior hinder claw very long and flexuous. 

 Le Coucal Negre. Le Vail. Ois. Afriq. 5. 84. tab. 222. 



Le Vaillant discovered this very curious spe- 

 cies of Coucal in Caffraria ; it frequents deep fo- 

 rests, and perches on the lower branches of trees, 

 often repeating in a plaintive tone the word cooo- 

 ro. The sexes are generally found together. 



The length of the male is about eleven inches, 

 that of the female somewhat less. The eyes are 

 deep chesnut. 



The food of this species is supposed to consist 

 principally of insects, as Le Vaillant found frag- 

 ments of those animals in the stomach. 



The black Coucal builds its nest in hollow trees ; 

 the female lays four eggs of a chalky white, on 

 which the male and female sit alternately. 



This bird inhabits Caffraria. 



