G-REAT S F O T T E © C U C K O O .
Cuculile gjandarius, fZyn*/:) -
GREAT S POT T ED CUCKOO,
Ciwniu: g<a»-foritti, fjrm .
Lb Cwi..« » ( « a i "
Tin: «reiteri tosai, lew; liwned and fn ;,; . '1 : ,rsi, together «nth the more etegnm form exinbited in llw bird
before in, indicate very clear!-, that . ftuNfcpr i -liidi'-ii.-n- of the foottty is requisite : the reason why we have
Spettri it under the generic name ofTIwidut, ami n«t imiter that o f Applied toit by some authors, is
that the bird to wkk& the latter ritte was first applied possesses characters different from either the present
bird o r the trap Gaekoos.
Wc d** *»* wu fhis plate feel d*f**ed »<> enter largely into a consideration of the divisions o f this family,
and tihertrfore defer adding a new gonerie name to the Great Spotted Cuckoo until we have had an opporti» -
nity, which we hope vv3I occur at. uo distant period, of revising the whole group, wh.iP not only this, hut
several other species will be brought muter investigation.
So little is known of the habit« and marniera of this bird that it is still uncertain whether, like the species
common to England, its eggs and offspring are confided'to the care o f other birds, or whether it constructs
its own nest and performs the process of incubation in the ordinary way ; which paucity information is
occasioned by its being so sparingly draper««! over tise couiimmt of Europe that no opportunities have .
occurred of observing lite most interesting potikn» of it-' connoto?. -its nidiftcafiion.
Its t ru e habitat U the wooded districts »¿ twig die ttuteryptoìn« of North Africa ; bnt -foe few that pass the •
Mediterranean fimi a cotigeaiai climate in fitj«nc wul Italy, further north than which they arc rarely seen.
That valuable work'.dw Planches Coloriées” of M. ienmiinek contains an accorate description of this
bird in all its various changes of plumage, a portion ut' which We venture to extract. This Cucfcoo,wh:ch is
larger than the common species, is charactemed by a crest comprised of filamentous feathers, by a very long
graduated tail, by the linear and tubular form of the nostrils, and by the comparatively strong bill and feet,
in the old usate dar erósi* idi the head, ami the cheeks are ash colour, mòre or less deep according to age;,
back, the ramp,, the senpute'-w.v «utf-thr. rv>v r«\- ..f -hr* of * grey ih!. Inv« : i •. . clouded
with a greenish lustre, the .« i*$ ;%se foiwh*«» hswwy a white egwr. «teteh varie» io saie and purity according
to age ; the yod'si,; jjfefe e& the amidi» *ga t a * Omsk- spots «hm* eXMnésà and bettes- defined
than the adulto and <$& ÉÉ primari*» are Of a dark brown, edged wijdv giey, and termisiatod with
white j the feathers o f tiw:’ v¥ ï''I «re !»sis brpw» oiwfieg in pure white ; throat sod ehpsr. reddUlt -Tint. ; the
abdomen .and iiiukr g w white ; the feet are dark brown in c it e ^ to yellow on tki .o v«ter
surface ; the bill is brown^h ¡9$ she point; the base o f the under mandible reddish yellow.
The plum%c of thé ii;:v from that of the adult in having the head and crest of a muck
darker cólo*»*' étod the wbfflKii 'is tipper surface more inclining to reddish brown with slight reflexions of
green; the primarie* arc mum.... ton U^jd with greenish brown towards the points, which are pure white ; the
throat and chest are clear rud&sh h;- >wi>. the nraer surface as in the adult male.
"The young of the year is sriS f e d « tei jifovaagc; dto erç6t is short 5 the feathers of the back ami
Secondaries are of a reddish brown ifie im nwdiik tail-feathers are slightly tipped with white; the front
of the neck ami' the chest are deep rafo u # .ill she other inferior parts are reddish., white ; feet and t a k
lead’ colour ; irides grey?
The FM« nuHresente .a suaïe of the naturili «‘.«r &&&$ adult.