Oedee CUCULIFORMES. 
Probably the typical member of this Order is one of the best Iniown of 
birds in the Old World, perhaps by name only, on account of its pecuhar call 
and its pecuhar breeding habits. The bird itself is not such a famihar object, 
but through the parasitism in regard to its young it has an extraordinary 
Hterature. Even at the present time many pages of important bird periodicals 
are continually being devoted to the attempted elucidation of its habits. 
To Austrahan workers “ Cuckoos ” are very famihar, though the typical one 
is missing, as is the well-known cah note. The parasitic habits in connection 
with their egg disposition, however, persists through the order, so that this 
is very famihar to Southern egg collectors. Many species are included in 
the Austrahan Avifauna, and these are of varied type from the very small 
Lam'prococcyx to the huge ScytJirops. Seven genera, including fourteen species, 
were admitted by Gould in his “ Handbook ” in the family Cuculidce now raised 
to the rank of an Order, and subdivided into three or more families. Thus, 
while recognising the majority of “ Cuckoos ” as referable to one family — a 
by no means accurate conclusion — Scythrops must be acknowledged to be 
separable as a family, while few wiU deny that value to the Centropodidce. 
In the Catalogue of the Birds in the British MuseurUy Vol. XIX., 1891, the 
latter was given subfamily rank, while the former was placed in the typical 
subfamily, a somewhat pecuhar association. 
SundevaU, twenty years previously, had separated Scythrops with 
Eudynamis from the true Cuckoos and placed them with Coccystes and 
Coccyzus as constituting another family. 
Beddard has shown that the anatomy is complex and consequently 
difficult to deal with as a whole : he recommended subdivision into three, 
two of these being again divided. His arrangement was put forward in such 
a manner that criticism is scarcely possible, as his lack of material was greater 
than that available. He only regarded the group as of family rank, a value 
quite inacceptable under present-day views. This was divided into three 
subfamihes, the first into two sections (unnamed) : Cuculus, ChrysococcyXy 
CacomantiSy Coccystes (?) and Saurothera, Diplopterus (?), Piaya and Coccyzus, 
I would eliminate Coccystes from the first group, then range Cuculus and 
Cacomantis together, and separate Chrysococcyx sectionaUy. The second 
subfamily covered Scythrops, Eudynamis and PhoenicophcBS. I would 
separate all these three, and if Eudynamis is near Scythrops would give it family 
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