small copse, out of which it was with much difficulty hunted, when it darted through an open door into the
kitchen and concealed itself behind a box.
“ The males are very pugnacious, and in their manuer o f fighting remind me of the game-cock, depressing
and elevating the head, imitating each other’s actions, &c. &c.
“ Of its nidification nothing is known.
“ Native name, Aban-cuccula. Cucculo is the general name for all fowls, male birds; cuccula is female;
and kikili is plural.”
The male has the feathers o f the head black, with a fine line o f white down the centre of each, becoming
almost obsolete on the centre o f the crown ; feathers of the back o f the neck black, with a line of white
down the centre of each, commencing, in a fine point at the base o f the feather, gradually but slightly
increasing in breadth towards and ending near the apex; feathers o f the shoulders and scapularies deep
chestnut, freckled with black, and having a broad oblong mark of black down the centre, within which is a
lengthened white line as on the neck; lower part of the back deep chestnut, minutely freckled with black
at the tip o f each feather; lesser wing-coverts black, bordered with chestnut at the base and a small drop-
like spot o f buffy white near the tip ; primaries brown ; remainder o f the wing deep chestnut, freckled with
black, and at the tips o f the greater coverts a pear-shaped mark of black, within which is a similar mark of
white; upper and under tail-coverts black; tail rich purplish black; feathers o f the throat, breast and
abdomen black, with a pear-shaped mark o f white near the tip, which mark becomes more elongated as the
feathers proceed downwards, until on the flanks they assume a similar but bolder form than the lines on the
back of the neck; on the lower part o f the abdomen and thighs they again become o f a more rounded
form, but are much less conspicuous; bill and orbits beautiful red ; irides dark brown ; legs and feet red.
The female has the entire plumage deep chestnut, paler on the under surface and minutely freckled with
brown, especially on the secondaries and upper tail-coverts; tail purplish black; bill, orbits, eyes, legs and
feet as in the male, but not quite so rich in colour.
The figures in the accompanying Plate are o f the natural size.