HODGSON'S HAWK-CUCKOO. 
109 
under the impression that I have shot it at all periods of the year. It has 
a loud melodious call^ which it utters from the summit of a tall tree. 
According to Mr. Hodgson this bird lays its eggs in the nests of other 
birds ; but according to another observer it makes its own nest. Mr. 
Hodgson^s statement is probably the correct one. 
The Cuckoos of this genus are barely separable from Cuculus in 
structure; but they are remarkable for having portions of the lower 
plumage streaked, giving them the appearance of Hawks. 
H. nisoides, Blyth, founded on a single specimen in the British Museum 
from Nipal, is like H. sparverioides, but conspicuously smaller, the wing 
being only 7*5 inches in length. 
493. HIEHOCOCGYX NISICOLOR. 
HODGSON^S HAWK-CUCKOO. 
Hierococcyx nisicolor, Hodys., Bl. J. A. S. B. xii. p. 943; Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 330 ; 
Hume, S. F. v. pp. 96, 347 ; Hume ^ Dav. S. F. vi. p. 157 ; Hume, S. F. viii. 
p. 88 ; Oates, S. F. x. p. 193. 
Description. — Male and female. The whole upper plumage, coverts and 
wings deep ashy, the rump and upper tail-coverts tipped rather paler ; the 
inner webs of the primaries and secondaries barred with white ; tail ashy 
brown_, tipped with ferruginous, with a broad subterminal black band 
and five narrower bars, two of which are generally concealed by the 
coverts ; the narrower black bars are bordered below by pale rufous ; chin, 
sides of the head and neck deep ashy ; lores and base of the lower man- 
dible whitish ; throat and fore neck pale rufous -white streaked with grey ; 
breast, abdomen and sides of the body bright rufous, the centres of the 
feathers ashy, giving a striped appearance ; vent and under tail- coverts 
white. 
Legs, feet, claws and eyelids bright yellow ; gape greenish yellow ; 
lower mandible and region of nostrils pale green ; upper mandible horny 
black ; irides orange-red. {Davison.) 
Length 11*5 inches, tail 6'1, wing 6*8, tarsus '8, bill from gape 1'2. 
The female is of the same size. 
Hodgson^s Hawk-Cuckoo occurs but sparingly in Burmah. I procured 
one specimen near Kyeikpadein in November and another near Tonghoo, 
and Mr. Davison obtained one near Thatone in Tenasserim. I am not 
aware of any other instance of its being met with in Burmah. 
It was first described from Nipal, and it is also recorded from Malacca. 
Nothing is known regarding its habits. 
