Order III. SCANSORES. 
Family IV. Cuculidje. 
The fifth Subfamily, 
CUCULINiE, or Cuckows, 
have the Bill broad, and rather depressed at the base, the culmen curved, and the sides compressed to 
the tip which is entire or slightly emarginated ; the Nostrils basal and membranous, with the opening 
exposed : the Wings long, and generally pointed : the Tail long, and usually graduated : the Tarsi short, 
partly clothed with feathers, and partly covered with broad scales. 
Cuculus Linn .* 
BiU broad, and rather depressed at the base, with the culmen curved, and the sides gradually 
compressed towards the tip, which is entire and acute ; the gonys long and arched ; the nostrils basal, 
lateral, and placed in a short, broad, membranous groove, with the opening round and expose . mgs 
lengthened and pointed, with the third quill the longest. Tail long and graduated, or even, and the 
outer feather on each side shorter than the others. Tarsi very short, feathered below the knee, and t ie 
exposed part covered with broad scales. Toes unequal ; the outer anterior toe the longest, and united to 
the inner one at the base. 
The suedes are peculiar to the warmer portions of the Old World. They are migretory and solitmy in their habits 
„ 1 , d hces an d gardens in quest of their subsistence ; and generally perch m the bushes, or on the 
frequenting the wodypkces ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ short distances . The food 0 f these birds eonsxsts 
owei lane es 0 r j iey kill b y means of pressing the insects between the bill ; and, before swallowing them 
principally of caterpillars, which they k y I ^ ^ rf ^ ^ they 
whole, the bird usually cu ts off _tho ^ ^ ^ mJ utt6rrf in . lengthened aud melancholy 
soinctunes feed on peifoc 1 1 1 ^ ^ ^ ^ Mne of day _ a „ a sometimes even during the night, while perching 
manner, cspecud y ally m ^ ^ femaIe , of tlie species of this genus do not form any nest, but mostly 
m an exposed situation. It is leavin „ t0 the foster-parent the entire hatching and rearing of the 
™ tMehTitltwnncommoded by t’hc rightful owners of the nest casts them out to perish on the ground, 
by which means the entire care of the foster-parent is bestowed upon the intruded. 
, c m Rnie ('1831') (with which Chalcites of M. Lesson (1831) and 
° f m - Lesson (i83i) (with which P " K “ of Mr> Hodsson (18S9) 
is synonymous). 
