CALLIECHT

 

HRUS LEUCOLOPHUs,

White-crowned Black Cuckoo.

Cuculus leucolophus, S. Mill. Verh, L

and- en Volkenk. p. 22, note, p.
p. 204, pl. iii. fig. 33 (1857)

fe cmaye Proc, Zool Soc: 1858, p.

pp. 44, 60 (1859).—Id. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1861, p. 437.—Sch]
Gray, Hand-list Birds, ii. p. 216, no. 9012 (
(1875).—Id. Ibis, 1876, p. 253.

Simotes albivertex, Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. xy. p

233 (1839-44).—Schl. Handl. Dierk. i.
195.—Id. Cat. Mamm. etc. New Guinea,
- Mus. Pays-Bas, Cuculi, p. 16 (1864).—
1880).—Beccari, Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov. vil. p. 715

P. 15, 283 (1846).—Id. Cat. B. As. Soc. Mus. p 75 (1849
Cuculus albvertex, Gray, Gen. B. iii. App. p. 23 (1849) a

Symotes leucolophus, Blyth, Cat. B. As. Soc. Mus. p. xix (1852).

Mierococcyx leucolophus, Bonap. Consp. Av. i. p. 104 (1850).—Id, Consp. Voluer. Z ygod. p. 7 (1854). —-Sclater, Proc

Linn. Soc. ii. p. 166 (1858).—Rosenb. J. f. O. 1864, p. 117. : .

Calliechthrus leucolophus, Cab. & Heine, Mus. Hein. iv. p. 31 (1862).—Salvad. Atti R. Accad. Torin. xiii. p. 313

wis73).——ld. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov. xiii. p. 461 (1878)
(1879).—lid. in D’ Albert. New Guinea, ii. p. 405 (
p. 358 (1880).

Eudynamis leucolophus, Finsch, Neu-Guinea, p. 159 (1865)

-—D’Albert. & Salvad. op. cit. xiv. p. 43
1880).—Salvad. Orn. Papuasia e delle Molucche, i.

 

Tuts is a peculiar species of Cuckoo, having the black coloration of a Koel (Eudynamis), but with the
nostrils of a true Cuckoo (Cuculus). Its bill, however, is abnormally broad, and it forms an interesting link
between the two genera above mentioned.

It was originally discovered at Lobo in New Guinea by the well-known traveller Solomon Muller, and in
the north-western portion of the same island it has been met with at Mum by Dr. Meyer, at Andei by Baron
von Rosenberg, and at Warbusi by Dr. Beccari. The latter naturalist says that it is one of the rarest of birds
in the north-western portion of New Guinea. Mr. Bruijn has received it from Salwati, and in the south-
eastern part of New Guinea Signor D’Albertis met with it on the Fly River, and Mr. Forbes has procured
specimens in the Astrolabe Mountains, at Moroka (alt. 5000 feet), and in the Sogeri district at a height of
2000 feet.

So far as is known, the present species is only found in New Guinea and Salwati. Dr. Finsch gives
Mysol as a habitat, but apparently in error, as no specimens from this locality are in the Leiden Museum.
The late Mr. Blyth described the species as from Borneo; but be afterwards corrected this, and stated that
faevas from “ F islet off the coast of Waigiou,” where, however, no recent traveller has obtained it. There
is at the same time no improbability in the occurrence of the species in either of the above-mentioned
islands. és

The following is a description of the pair of birds procured by Mr. Fle v Forbes a

Adult. General colour above glossy blue-black ; quills and tail black, with a gloss ci blue-black externally 5
a broad line of white feathers along the centre of the crown to the nape; sides of face and under Se of
body black, the breast and abdomen more ashy, the long under tail-coverts barred ve - a a pee
with white ; under wing-coverts black, with a few white bars: “bill ee feet blac as soo ee ae
chestnut-brown” (D’ Albertis). Total length 12°5 inches, culmen 1:25, breadth at gape 0°95, wing :
tail 6:0, tarsus 0°85.

Young. Differs from the adult in being more

dinev black, and in having white bars on the breast, under
5) :
white tip to the tail-feathers. Total length 12 inches, culmen

tail-coverts, and under wing-coverts, and a
1, wing 6°3, tail 5°8, tarsus 0°85.
i 1 7 ‘ ‘ ‘ 7 12 O
The figures in the Plate represent an adult and young

: » Mr. Forbes.
: ‘e-mentioned specimens collected by Mr. For
they are drawn from the above-mentioned spec [R. B. S.]

f this curious Cuckoo, of about the natural size ;