Ayres writes:—“ I found these Cuckoos plentiful in December, among
the low mimosa thorns and wood bordering the rivers and streams
in the upper districts of the colony of Natal, and also among the
fruit-trees in the scattered town of Potchefstroom. They are most
fond of apple-trees, where, I think, they find the caterpillars suited
to their taste and upon which they appear entirely to feed. Their
note, which is loud and monotonous, is frequently uttered whilst
they are flying high over head. Early in the morning they are particularly
fond of chasing each other, frequently so high as to be
almost out of sight. They are often chased by the Sparrow and
other birds, which appear at once to know a stranger. Like most
of our Cuckoos, they appear in summer and are away during the
winter months.” Mr. Barratt has procured several specimens recently
near Rustenburg.
Mr. Buckley observes:—“ A common species during our return
journey, from which it appears the bird is a summer visitant. I
found it throughout the Bamangwato and North Transvaal districts.”
In Dr. Kirk’s paper on the Birds of the Zambesi, he writes as follows
:—“ Bare; found at the foot of Moramballa Mountains and
halfway up the Shire, in a wood : it frequents forests. One specimen
is in Dr. Dickerson’s collection; probably from near the same
locality.” The same gentleman has also found it higher up on the
Eastern Coast at Zanzibar.
Mr. Anderssoh wr i t e s T h i s beautiful species is by no means
uncommon in Little Namaqua Land ; but to the north of the Orange
River I have only met with it in the neighbourhood of the River
Okavango, where it is both scarce and shy, and near Otniovapa,
where I observed two of these birds pairing on the 11th January.”
Mr. Monteiro has shot this Cuckoo in Benguela, and Mr. Sala also
shot specimens at’ Kattenbella in the same country, while Senor
Anchieta has met with it at Gambos in Mossamedes and at Humbe
on the river Cunene.
Le Yaillant states that it lays a white egg, and gives an account
of the manner in which it is carried in the mouth, to be placed in
the nests of those birds which are selected as foster-mothers for its
neglected offspring. Eggs sent to Canon Tristram from Natal by
Mr. Ayres appear to be “ like some of the lighter coloured eggs of the
British house-sparrow, and also very like the egg of the great reed-
warbler (Galamoherjoe arundinacea) from which, however, it may be
distinguished by its rich gloss and by being slightly smaller and
more elliptical.” (Cf. J. H. Gurney, Ibis, 1868, p. 163). Mrs. Barber
says that they lay pure white eggs in the nests of Frvngillaria, vittata
and all the Nectarinice and remain constantly in the neighbourhood
of the nest watching over’ it safely. Mr. Jackson has found pure
white eggs in the nests of ILgphciYitoTivis co/pital'iSj which we suspect
are the eggs of this Cuckoo, and we are inclined to think that Mr.
Ayres is mistaken in his identification, and that his sparrow-like eggs
belong to another species.
AoImU.—Above metallic green, changing to golden green, sometimes
with a coppery gloss, according to the light; a streak down
the fore part of the head, and a distinct eyebrow, white; ear-coverts
coppery green; cheeks, sides of neck, and underparts white, the
sides of the body as well as the under wing- and tail-coverts barred,
the sides of vent streaked with dull metallic green; wings metallic
green above, like the back, varying with the light, the inner greater
wing-coverts and the quills externally spotted with white, the primaries
more minutely ; under surface of quills ashy brown, with oval
spots or bars of white on the inner web ; lateral upper tail-coverts
externally white; tail metallic green, all except the two middle
feathers tipped with white, the outermost spotted with white on both
webs, vanishing towards the centre feathers; “ bill dusky above, homy
beneath; legs dusky; iris and orbit scarlet.” (Blanford.)
Total length, 8’5 inches; culmen, 0‘7; wing, 4’25 ; tail, 3’4 ; tarsus,
0’65.
Fig. Levaifl. Ois. d’Afr. v. p. 46, pis. 210, 211.
139. Cucuuus k l a a s i . Klaas’s Cuckoo.
This is the smallest of the African metallic Cuckoos, and is distinguished
from 0. cupreus by its smaller size and white tail, spotted
with coppery-green.
Klaas’s Cuckoo is not uncommon in most wooded parts of the
colony, extending even as far as the Cape peninsula. It is, however,
not nearly so abundant as the foregoing, from which it is easily distinguished
by its cry.
Mrs. Barber says, in its nesting and other habits it resembles the
preceding species. Yictorin met with it at the Knysna in November
and in the Karroo in January. Mr. T. C. Atmore has procured
it near Elands’ Post, and according to Captain Shelley it was not