EMERALD CUCKOO. 
Chalcites smaraydineus, Swain. 
Upper plumage, with the neck and breast, shining emerald- 
green ; body beneath, flanks, and under tail-eovers, bright 
yellow, unspotted. 
Of all the gorgeous species in this splendid group of 
birds, the Emerald Cuckoo of Western Africa is the 
most sumptuous. It is, indeed, one of the brightest 
gems of the feathered creation, for its colours are 
more akin to those of the mineral than to the animal 
kingdom. The feathers of those parts of its plu- 
mage which are green, equal the emerald in richness, 
and assume more of the form of scales than of ordi- 
nary feathers ; they also have an appearance of 
thickness and of softness very unusual among birds, 
so that in these respects they may be compared to 
velvet. When the bird is held to the light, the 
green is of the most intense brightness and purity, 
the middle of each feather being darker than its 
edgings; hut when it is held from the light, with the 
spectator between, the green becomes more golden, 
with a very slight gloss of copper, but not near so 
strong as in the shining cuckoo of the Cape ; it is 
further distinguished from that species by the full 
and bright yellow colour of its body and belly, which 
