LEPIDOGRAMMUS CUM INGL
Curled-crested Cuckoo.

Phenicophaus cumimgt, Fraser, P. Z. S. SO selec Hoel Dvps ple 63 GieeOD) eS jain, a, A. Si 1, 1842,
p. 925.
— barotii, Eydoux & Souleyet, Voy. Bonite, Ois. p- 89, Atlas, pl. 6 (1841).

Dasylophus cumingii, Gray, Gen. B. ii. p. 459 (1845); Bp., Consp. Gen. Av. i. p. 98 (1850) ; Gray, Handl. B. ii.
p. 206 (1870).

Lepidogrammus cumingii, Reichenbach, Syst. Av. Nat. pl. xlvii. fig. 4 (1849); Bp., Consp. Voluer. Zygod. p. 5
(1854) ; Cab. & Heine, Mus. Hein. Th. iv. p- 70 (1862); Sharpe, P. Z.S. 1873, p. 601, hia
(602) VWaldi. Wirans, ZS. ix. uOomG@lsiion

 

Lixe Dasylophus superciliosus, the bird now figured is confined to the Philippine Islands and, so far as we
know at present, is an inhabitant of Luzon only. It was originally discovered by the late Mr. Hugh Cuming
in the province of Albay, situated in the south-eastern corner of the above-named island ; here it is called
by the natives ‘ 4nsic En Bicol’? MM. Eydoux and Souleyet write as follows :—‘M. de la Gironniére
has kindly given us some information about this remarkable bird. — It keeps itself always hidden in the
middle of the forests where it lives, and is found throughout the year at Luzon. M. de la Gironniére
assures us that it nests in the island, which is proved by his having obtained individuals in their first
plumage : the latter do not obtain before their first moult the horn-tipped feathers of the crest and throat ;
and the general colour of their plumage is a reddish buff.”

Like the other Philippine genus (Dasylophus), this bird has the nostrils entirely hidden by plumes. But
that is the only generic character which they possess in common ; for Lepidogrammus differs not only from
the last-named bird, but from all the other Cuckoos with which we are acquainted, in having all the feathers
of the head and throat tipped with a peculiar metallic horny appendage, which renders it easily recognizable
at a glance. The only other birds which possess a similar structure of feather are the Curl-crested
Toucan of the Amazons, and the Open-bill Stork (Anastomus lamelligerus) of Africa.

Adult—General colour above blackish, with a greenish lustre, rather inclining to purple on the wings ;
the tail-feathers also slightly glossed with purple and tipped with white ; sides of neck and upper part of
mantle rich chestnut-rufous ; all the feathers in the centre of the head, from the beak to the nape, as well as
the gular plumes, ornamented with a metallic tip of steel-black; breast dull chestnut, inclining to orange
near the white throat ; sides of body, belly, thighs, and under tail-coverts brown, the latter glossed with
greenish. Total length 17 inches, culmen 1-6, wing 6°5, tail 9:8, tarsus 1:65.

The description and figure are from a fine Manilla skin in my possession.