NARROW-BILLED BRONZE CUCKOO. 
the field, only on the flanks : it uttered the same notes many times, always with 
the same ventriloquial effect. These Cuckoos were first noted this spring on 
25th September by Mr. Foster at the Mersey Bluff, a great arriving-place for our 
migrants : a pair were noted in a gum-tree at 10 a.m. that day, just arrived 
from over Bass Straits, one apparently feeding the other. On October 18th I 
noted near the mouth of the Merse}^ a Bronze Cuckoo uttering precisely similar 
calls to those heard so often in the spring time in the neighbourhood of Launceston, 
about eight long plaintive notes in series. March 21st, 1909 : This morning early 
when taking a walk near the beach, I was fortunate enough to see two young 
Bronze Cuckoos (L. hasalis) getting their breakfast among the coarse herbage 
by the roadside, and it was surprising what a number of caterpillars they found 
and disposed of. They appeared about the size of Sparrows or slightly larger, 
the upper-surface of a light brown with very slight greenish tint, under-surface 
light grey, with faint indications of bars on the abdomen. A whitish curved mark 
extended from over the eye backwards and downwards towards the ear. They 
were very quiet and allowed me to approach closely ; their note was a sort of 
“ Cheep ! cheep ! cheep ! ” very different from the loud penetrating calls of the 
adult. They were this season’s birds, and as far as my observations go, are rare 
on this coast, although plentiful about Launceston. The rufous colouring of 
basal two-thirds of tail was very conspicuous in flight, as were the dark and white 
bars on outer tail-feathers.” 
Mr. Chandler wrote : “ Fairly numerous in the Ringwood and Frankston 
districts. One call sightly resembles that of 0. plagosus, but no trouble is 
experienced in distinguishing the difference.” 
Mr. E. J. Christian has reported that birds were calling at his place in 
Victoria on May 9th, 1909. 
Mr. F. E. Howe has informed me : “ This species, together with L. plagosus, 
arrives about September. These Bronze Cuckoos are not infrequently seen in 
small famihes of perhaps five or six birds and keeping a certain tree to meet 
and ‘ show ’ in. Shaking the wings, raising and lowering the body and gliding 
from limb to limb.” 
With regard to egg deposition and young ejection this species seems to have 
much the same habits as have been recorded in connection with other Cuckoosl 
In the cases of these small Bronze Cuckoos, as so many eggs are deposited in small 
domed nests, it appears to have been long recognised that the eggs must be placed 
in such nests by the Cuckoo by means of its bill, a fact only recently fuUy 
admitted in connection with the larger European Cuckoo, while it may still 
be true that the larger Cuckoos later to be treated may not use the bill for egg 
deposition. 
Mr. Tom Carter’s notes read : “ The Narrow-biUed Bronze Cuckoo is a winter 
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