Ir I I
T a b . L l l l .
CUCULUS S PA R V ER IOID B S .
Cue. corpore s u p ra hrunnc sc enti-c ine rco, c a p ite p lum h e o -c in e r e o ; su b tu s albo, c o lh r u fo s tr ia te ,
ab d om m e hru n n eo fa s c ia to , p e c to r e r u fo tin c to ; r em ig ib u s e x te r n i le v ite r ru fo m a cu la tis ;
re c tr ic ih u s f a s c h s b rum ie is la tis r u fo m a rg in a tis q u a tu o r n o ta tis .
L o n g itu d o corporis, 16 u n c .
T h e apparently i„e.xhanstible stores of Ornithology whieli Nature displays in the Himalayan Monntains have
furnished several species of this ra the r limited genns, two of which arc figured in the “ Ccntnry " The
present species is one o f the largest o f the group, and differs from the common Cookoo in the marldiw of
Its plumage, the tail and wings being varied with several broad bars o f brown, and the breast blotched trith
patches o f the same tint. This peculiarity o f colouring gives it a gre a t resemblance to some of the Falcouidx
pavtienlarly the Fatco sparser,us, whence it derives its specific name, though in form and other respects it is
very similar to our Cueatas camrus, which, however, it ra th e r c.vcccds in size. The Caealus spararmdes
appears to bo widely distributed over the Indian continent, from various parts o f which it him been received
i t IS figured in the “ Cen tu ry ” as a bird hitlierto unknown to science.
^ It is to be lamented that no antlieiitic account has been received concerning the habits and manners of this
b ird ; and whether it is endowed, like its European congener, with the singular instinct that impels it to
deposit Its eggs m tbe nests of other birds, remains yet a question which only future observation can
satisfactordy determine.
The top of the head, oecipat and ear-coverts, arc o f a dull ash colour; the upper snrfaee deep einereons
brown, the qmlls hemg slightly barred with rnfons, and the tail-feathers barred with alternate bands o f brown
and rnfons ; the throa t and breast are white, the la tte r largely washed wltli dashes o f brown and rnfons ; the
abdomen, thiglis, and under tail-coverts white, beautifullv and regularly barred with transverse lines of
brown ; the beak is b rown; the legs reddish yellow.
The figure is of the natural size.
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