112 
BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 
Indian specimens occasionally have tlie wing 4 7, and in Tenasserim, 
according to Mr. Hurae, males have the wings mostly under 4'2. Farther 
south, wings of 3*9, Mr. Hume informs us_, are not uncommon. Under 
these circumstances it seems impossible, as in the case of some of the 
Woodpeckers^ to maintain two species on the ground of difference of size. 
The plumage of all the birds from Bengal to Malacca is identical, and 
t]iere is really nothing but size to go by. A bird from Java in the British 
Museum can be matched by birds from Pegu, and the wing measures 4*3 
inches in length. It is, I think^ very probable that many of the numerous 
so-called species of this small Cuckoo from the Malayan islands would be 
found on strict investigation to bs nothing more than larger or smaller 
forms of C. threnodes, but I have not had time to enter upou such a wide 
field of inquiry. 
The Rufous-bellied Cuckoo is found abundantly over the whole Province, 
except in the denser forests on the hills. Capt. Bingham failed to meet 
with it in the Thoungyeen valley ; but I have no doubt it occurs in that 
part of Tenasserim, for Dr. Tiraud states that it is common in Cochin 
China^ and Mr. Blyth records it from Siam. Capt. Wardlaw Ramsay 
obtained it in Karennee. 
It extends through the Indo-Burmese countries to Bengal, and it visits 
China, according to Mr. Swinhoe, to breed. It ranges down the Malay 
peninsula to Singapore^ and is also probably found in some of the islands of 
the archipelago. 
This species frequents all descriptions of jungle^ even grassy plains and 
swamps. Its note is a soft monotonous whistle. Capt. Feilden found 
what he considered to be the eggs of this species at Thayetmyo^ in the nests 
of Tailor-birds. 
Genus SUENICULUS, Lesson. 
496. SUHHIGULUS LUGUBEIS. 
THE BLACK FORK-TAILED CUCKOO. 
Cuculus lugubris, Sorsf. Trans. Linn. Soc. xiii. p. 179. Pseudornis dicruroides, 
Hodgs. J. A. 8. B. viii. p. 136. Surniculus dicruroides, Jerd. B. hid. i. 
p. 336 ; David et Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 61. Surniculus lugubris, Salvad. Ucc. 
Born. p. 63 ; Bl. 8f Wald. B. Burm. p. 80 ; Hume ^ Bav. S. F. vi. p. 159 ; 
Anders. Yunnan Exped. p. 587 ] Legge, Birds Ceijlon, p. 243 ; Hume, S. F. viii. 
p. 89. 
Description. — Male and female. Upper plumage glossy black, a few 
white feathers on the nape ; lower surface duller black ; under wing- 
