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T^)e Great Spotted Cuckow. 
T his Bird (to liken it in Size to what is well known to us) is of the Bignefs 
of a Magpye^ or and is the largefl of four Sorts of CuckooSy of which 
I have Drawings from Nature in my Colledion of Birds, and in its Colouring and Spots 
is the moil elegant Bird of its Genus that I have either feen, or find defcribed by 
Authors. See two Sorts defcribed and figured in Sir Hatts Shane’s Natural Hiftory of Ja- 
maica. Vol. II. Page 312, 313. Taif. 258. and one in Mr. Cateshfs Natural Hiflory of 
Carolina. Vol. I. p. 13. 
It hath a pretty flrong black Bill, fomething long in Proportion to its Thicknefs, and 
a little bowed downward, ending in a Point 5 the lower Mandible hath fomething of an 
Angle underneath ; the whole Bill is of a black Colour^ from the Angles of the Mouth 
on each Side is extended backward to the hinder Part of the Head a black Line, nar- 
rowed: at the Extremes, and broader in the middle Part, in which the Eyes are placed : 
The Crown of the Head is covered with foft Feathers of a blueifli Afh-colour, which by 
their Length and Loofenefs appear fomething like a Cred : The whole upper Side, 
Neck, Back, Wings, and Tail are cover’d with dark brown Feathers ; the greater 
Qiulls and Tail being the darkedand approaching to Black : All the Wing Feathers, except 
the greater Qmils, are tipp’d with White, and very light AOi- colour, as are the upper 
covert Feathers of the Tail; the two middle Feathers of the Tail are wholly dark; ail 
the fide Feathers, as they gradually fhorten in Length, they gradually increafe in the 
Depth of their white Tips : The under Side, from the Sides of the Head and Throat 
to the Bread, is of a pretty bright Brown, inclining to Orange ; which Colour gra- 
dually changes in the Belly and Thighs to a dirty, yellowifli Brown, and ends in the 
Coverts beneath the Tail ; the infide of the Wing Feathers, and the under Side of the 
Tail are of an Afh-colour, and lighter than they are on their upper Sides ; the Legs are 
fhort in Proportion; the Toes dand two forward and two backward ; it hath pretty 
drong black Claws ; and both Legs and Feet are covered with black Scales. 
I fuppofe this Bird to be an alternate Inhabitant of the Southern Parts of EuropCy and 
the Northern Parts of Africa ; fince it was fhot on its fuppofed PafTage, on the Rock of 
Gibraltar y in Spaiuy by an EngliJJj Officer there, who fent it to his Brother Mr. Mark 
Catesbyy oi London -y who obliged me with it, to make what Ufe of it I thought 
proper^ 
G' ■ Ihe 
