515 
Birds from British East Africa. 
The Black Cuckoo was seen occasionally at Kallima Theki, 
but it was very shy and only one example was shot; it was 
invariably seen amongst the small trees fringing the sides of 
the dongas. It has a loud harsh note. 
143. Coccystes jacobinus. Black-and-White Cuckoo. 
Coccystes jacohinus Cab. & Heine. 
Iris dark brown; bill brown ; feet black. 
This was the commonest Cuckoo at Theki, and might often 
be seen near our camp, though it was always rather wild and 
unapproachable. I have no note of seeing it anywhere else. 
144. Coccystes cafer. Le VaillanCs Cuckoo. 
Coccystes cafer Sharpe. 
Iris brown; bill and legs dark brown. 
Only seen twice, on the Kapiti Plains ; both birds, which 
were females, contained the remains of caterpillars in the 
stomach. 
145. Centrqpus superciliosus. White-eyebrowed Lark- 
heeled Cuckoo. 
Centropus superciliosus (H. & E.). 
The White-eyebrowed Lark-heeled Cuckoo is only found 
in the dense scrub and jungle fringing the edges of rivers 
and lakes, amongst which it crawls about searching for food. 
I met with it all along the Thika and also at Naivasha ; it 
is nowhere rare, but not very often seen on account of its 
skulking habits. The note is one of the most noticeable to 
be heard in East Africa, and sounds like water being poured 
out of an inverted narrow-necked bottle. These birds run 
at a great pace, like a Rail. I successfully brought one 
home alive ; it was the first living specimen of C. superciliosus 
to reach England : from the day that it was caught it was 
perfectly tame and a most easy bird to keep, feeding vora¬ 
ciously on insects, fruit, sopped bread, &c. In their wild 
state this species is probably to a certain extent carnivorous : 
mine prefers a dead bird or a mouse to anything else; and 
the sharp, strong bill is well adapted for killing small 
birds. An account of my tame Centropus appeared in the 
4 Avicultural IVJagazine ’ for February 1909. 
