ILLUSTRATIONS OF FOREIGN OOLOGY. 
near approach, while itself lies still to avoid observation, especially 
when feeding, at which time they may be shot as fast as a gun can 
be loaded by watching for them under a tree to which they resort 
for its fruit, as a spreading banyan in its season, and they are par- 
ticularly attached to the densely foliaged Bokul (Beng.) or Moul- 
sari (Hind.)—(Mimusops elengi), keeping almost exclusively to 
this tree while its fruit is ripe, and at other seasons feeding on 
various berries, which are swallowed entire, and the large seeds of 
some of them ejected clean by the mouth. Though several may 
_ often be seen quietly feeding together, and sometimes in very con- 
spicuous situations, there is no association amongst them, but each 
pursues its course independently, as we believe do all other Qucu- 
line. As their breeding season approaches, however, about the 
commencement of the year or a little before, the Coéls become very 
' noisy, and continue so for several months during the hot weather ; 
the frequent utterance of the loud call-note of both sexes (a con- 
tinuous repetition of the sound kui many times successively, with a - 
liquid intonation of the 7, and slight variations), though certainly 
not unmelodious when heard sufficiently far off and in moderation 
— being thoroughly cuculine in its tone—becomes wearisome from 
its monotonous reiteration at all hours of the day and night, more 
or less, and to some persons occasions no slight annoyance The 
natives, however, seem to admire it much, as they frequently cage 
this bird, feeding it almost entirely on boiled rice, with sometimes 
a plantain! and its voice, when thus heard too close, becomes in- 
sufferable to European organs. The male Coél hag also another 
cry (ho-d-o), corresponding to the cuckoo note of Cuculus canorus, 
and which is delivered in like manner.* The female, as before re- 
marked, appears to deposit her eggs invariably in the nests of the 
true Corvi, and so abundantly, that we have known five or six Coéls’ 
eggs to be brought in together by a person who had been destroy- 
ing Crows’ nests, each taken from a different one. The egg is cer- 
tainly so often found alone, that there can be little doubt that the 
Coél destroys the eggs of the Crow at the time her own is depo- 
sited, but it is doubtful whether the young Coél is endowed with the 
mstinct of ejecting any companions it may have, and it would seem 
* Lately, we have remarked the 
song-note in this detached manner, 
. Peer peeur-pa, Peer peeur-pa, 
70 
Oue. varius occasionally delivers its whistling 
when scarcely, however, arrived at full song— 
