CUCULUS INORNATUS, Vig. and Horsf: 
Unadorned Cuckoo. 
Cucnlus inorndtus, Vig. and Horsf. in Lim, Trans., vol. xv. p. 297, 
albostrigatus, Ih. p. 298. youne:. 
Dju-dus-run, Aborigines of Western Australia. 
Greater Cuckoo of the Colonists. 
Tur southern portion of Australia generally, and the island of Van Diemen’s Land, are inhabited by this 
species of Cuckoo; to the latter country, however, it is only a summer visitant, and a partial migration also 
takes place in the adjacent portion of the continent, as is shown by its numbers being much fewer during 
winter. Its migratory inovement seems to be regulated, as in most other instances, hy the more or less 
abundant supply of food necessary for its sustenance. It arrives in Van Diemen’s Land in the month of 
September, and departs northward in February, During the vernal season it is an animated and querulous 
bird, and it may then be seen either singly, or two or more males engaged in chasing each other from tree 
to tree. Its ringing whistling call, which consists of a succession of running notes, the last and highest of 
which are several times rapidly repeated, is often uttered while the bird is at rest among the branches, and 
also occasionally while on the wing. Its food consists of caterpillars, Phasmide and coleopterous insects, 
which are generally procured among the leafy branches of the trees, and in searching for which the bird 
displays considerable activity, and wreat power of traversing the smaller limbs. When desirous of repose 
after feeding, it perches on the topmost dead branches of the trees, on the posts and rails of the fences, or 
any other prominent site whence it can survey all around, It is however by no means a shy bird, and but 
little caution is required to approach within gun-shot. Its flight is straight and rapid, and not unlike that 
of the Cuculus eanorus, to which it bears a close resemblance in everything except its note; occasionally it 
mounts considerably above the tops of the trees, and it is capable of sustaining a long-continued flight. 
In respect to its reproduction it 1s strictly parasitic, devolving the task of incubation on the smaller birds, 
many species of which are known to be the foster-parents ; among them may be enumerated the various 
Melithrepti, Ptiloti, Maluri, Acanthize, &e, After the young has left the nest and attained a considerable 
size, it is not unusual to see it fed by two or more species at the same time ; this I have witnessed with my 
own eyes; the young Cuckoo, in fact, selects some low dead branch in an open glade of the forest, from 
which it seldom moves during the day, as a conyenient situation for its various foster-parents to supply it 
with food, for the procuring and supplying of which all the smaller birds appear to have entered into a 
mutual compact. . 
The specimens of this bird from Western Australia are somewhat smaller, and have the white marks of 
the tail less distinct than specimens from Van Diemen’s Land, but these differences are too trivial to be 
regarded as other than mere local variations. When fully adult the plumage is nearly of a uniform brown, 
with the inner webs of the wing and tail-feathers relieved by bars and markings of white; the immature 
colouring on the contrary presents a yariegated and very diversified character, which, owieg to the constant 
change taking place, cannot be described so as to render it clear to my readers. When the young leaves 
the nest, the throat, face and shoulders are black, the feathers of the remainder of the hody crossed and 
spotted with buff; the black colouring gradually gives place to the grey of the under surface, while the 
buffy marks of the upper surface are retained even after the second or third moult; it breeds in this state, 
and it is doubtful whether in the female it is ever entirely cast off. . 
The stomachs of those dissected were found to be capacious, membranous, and thickly lined with hair. 
“ ; , five-cig’ oad, and is of a cream-colour speckled all 
The egg is about seven-eighths of an inch long by five-eighths broad, i a cree | 
over with markings of brown. 
The adult male has the head, neck and all the unc . : 
down the sides of the neck ; all the upper surface olive-brown, becoming much darker on the wings 7 
tail ; basal portion of the inner webs of the primaries broadly barred with white ; acest sane e 
margins of both webs with white, slightly on the outer and deeply on the Iner 5 a eae, 4 ei ey 
white, aud with a mark of white on the stem near the tip, ths mark being ye: ‘uy :3 of ry _ ne 
feather, and gradually increasing on the lateral feathers until on the outer : esi ate under- 
very dark brown ; eyelash yellow; gape and inside of the mouth rich deep orange ; ve i yy ers 
The female differs in having the upper giriace: mpitledl 9b et bag aha buff es of 
reddis at the extremity of each of the wing-coverts, and the markimgs “. . al 
ie | a aes markings may in very old birds give place to a style of colouring similar to the male. 
; Sell ‘ i ive, the soles of the 
The young, independently of the differences pointed out above, has the feet sR AC eh ten 
feet yellow ‘iat bill yellowish olive, the corner of the mouth and the tip of the bill being more y Fs 
the rest of that organ ; irides greyish brown. . 
two Sexes of the natural size. 
ler surface brownish grey, with a streak of dark brown 
The figures represent the 
