THE ASIATIC CUCKOO. 
105 
Length 13 inches, tail 6*4 to 6'8, wing 7-5 to 8-5, tarsus '85, bill 
from gape 1*3. 
This Cuckoo, when adult, bears a close general resemblance to the 
European Cuckoo; but may be recognized by its plain brown upper 
plumage and the broad subterminal tail-bar; the bars of the lower 
plumage are also broader and less frequent. There is little doubt that 
C. affinis was described from a large specimen of C. microptsrus. 
The Indian Cuckoo is generally distributed over Pegu both on the hills 
and plains, and is tolerably common. In Tenasserim it appears to be 
rare, for Mr. Davison did not meet with it often. I can find no record 
of its occurrence in Arrakan, but it is doubtless abundant in that Division. 
It occurs in the Indo-Burmese countries and the greater part of the 
peninsula of India with Ceylon. It is also found in China and Cochin 
China; Lieut. Kelham met with it at Perak and Singapore, and it is 
recorded from Malacca. It is probably spread over a considerable portion 
of Central Asia and possibly Siberia, but it is difficult to trace its distri- 
bution without an examination of specimens. 
The Indian Cuckoo is, I think, a permanent resident in Burmah, for its 
remarkable call may he heard during the greater part of the year; and in 
August I once shot a specimen which was obviously a nestling barely able 
to fly. This bird is very noisy and utters its call o£ four notes, which 
resemble the word bho-kutha-kho, from the top of a high tree almost 
throughout the entire day and late in the evening during the dry weather. 
It probably lays its eggs, like the other large parasitic Cuckoos, in the 
nests of the Timeliine birds. 
490. CUCULUS STUIATUS. 
THE ASIATIC CUCKOO. 
Cuculus striatus, Brap. Diet. Class. d'Hist. Nat. iv. p. 570 ; Siumhoe, P. Z. 8. 
1871, p. 395 ; Hume, S. F. ii. p. 190 ; id. Nests and Eggs, p. 134 ; Bl. B. Burin. 
p. 79 ; David et Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 65 ; Hume ^ Dav. S. F. vi. p. 156 ; Hume, 
S. F. viii. p. 88 ; Scully, S. F. viii. p. 255 ; Hume, S. F. ix. p. 315 (note) ; Oates, 
S. F. X. p. 193. Cuculus himalayanus, Vigors, P. Z. S. 1831, p. 172 ; Jerd. 
B. Ind. i. p. 323 ; Seehohm, Ibis, 1878, p. 326. 
Description. — The whole upper plumage dark bluish ashy, browner on 
the wings ; the inner webs of the quills barred with white ; tail dark ashy 
brown, with large white shaft-spots, which turn to bars on the outer 
feathers, and with a subterminal dark bar; sides of the head like the 
crown ; chin and throat pale ashy ; breast ashy, barred with rufous and 
