546 e u c k o w.
filky feathers of a fine deep green : the upper leffer wing coverts-
the fame : the feathers on the crown lengthened: into a creft, which
the bird-can eredt at pleafure; the tip of this creft is reddifh : on
each fide the head is. a black, ftripe, broadeft in the middle, arifing
at the corners of the mouth, palling through the eyes to the hind:
head : above and beneath this, is a narrow line of white : lower
part of the back, rump,, and upper tail coverts, fcapulars, and greater
coverts,, are blueifh purple :: lower part of the.belly, fides, thighs,,
and under tail coverts, blackilh : greater quills crimfon, with
the outer edge and tip margined, with, black -. tail blueifh purple ::
legs and claws, cinereous..
Place. Inhabits various parts of Africa.
Buffon mentions two fpecies ; the firft from- AlyJJinia, and the
other from the Cape of Good Hope. The firft has a blackifh creft,,
hanging hehind. as a lo ck ; the other has an upright creft of a.
bright green, with fometimes a mixture of white : the difference-
in plumage very trivial. One from the Cape, which he faw alive,,
was faid to feed on r ic e yet, on trial, would by no means fwallow
a grain,, it would have familhed firft; but eat the feeds o f grapes-
greedily, as alfo apples and oranges, and lived on fruits for feveral
months ; by which it appeared, that fruits are its natural food,—
The progreffive motion of this bird was not by walking, but leaping.
After moulting, it got the white ftripe above and beneath
the eye; and the creft became all of one'green colour. - Several
of thefe birds have been alive in England,, of which I have feen
one: the defcription as above. The eye appeared uncommonly
brilliant, the creft chiefly in an ere£ted ftate; and the bird
very lively.. It is faid by Albin to come from Mexico ; but this
may be doubted:. Edwards exprefsly fays, it comes from Guinea-,.
and all which I have feen have been, from that quarter.
a G-ehus-
[ 547 ]
<G s N u s XX. W R Y N E C K
THE bill in this genus is roundilh, flightly incurvated, and
of a weak texture.
Noftrils bare of feathers, and fomewhat concave.
The tongue long, flender, and armed at the point.
Ten flexible feathers in the tail.
Eeet made for climbing : toes placed two and two.
This genus confifts of only a Angle fpecies, and has, by moft
authors, been held as diftindt; for though it feems allied to fome
-other genera, it perfeftly coincides with none. It has the tongue
o f the Woodpecker, as well as the fituation of the toes ; but the
weaknefs of the bill, unapt to bear the rude exertions o f thofe birds,
forbids it to be placed among them.— It feems alfo much allied to
the Cuckow *, did not the length of tongue prove the contrary.
It is a bird well known; but for form fake we proceed to de-
fcribe it.
» Linnaus, in his former edition of the Fauna Suecica, had there placed it
with the Cuckow.
4 A a Yunx