THE GIANT CUCKOO, OR CHANNEL-BILL (Scythrops Novæ Hollandiæ).
THE GIANT CUCKOO, OR CHANNEL-BILL.
The GIANT CUCKOO, or CHANNEL-BILL (Scythrops Novæ Hollandiæ), the only species with which we are acquainted, is grey upon the head, throat, and breast; the mantle, wings, and tail are greenish grey, each feather tipped with blackish brown; the hinder parts are indistinctly striped with greyish brown; the tail-feathers deep grey, the four outermost tipped with white, and decorated with a broad, black stripe, besides other more delicate lines. The eye is brown, the bare patch by which it is surrounded light scarlet, the beak yellowish grey, and the foot olive-brown. The female is somewhat smaller than her mate. The latter exceeds two feet in length; the wing measures thirteen, and the tail ten inches.
The Channel-bill, according to Gould, is a migratory bird in New South Wales, arriving in October and departing again in January; whither it proceeds is not known.
"This bird," says Latham, "is generally seen in the morning and evening, sometimes in small parties of seven or eight, but more often in pairs. Both on the wing and when perched, it makes a loud, screaming noise when a Hawk or other bird of prey is in sight. In the crop and gizzard the seeds of the red-gum and peppermint trees have been found; it is supposed that these are swallowed whole, as the pericarp, or capsule, has been also found in the stomach; exuviæ of beetles have also been seen, but not in any quantity. The tail, which is of nearly the length of the body, is occasionally displayed like a fan, and gives the bird a majestic air. The natives seem to know but little of its habits and haunts; they consider its appearance as an indication of blowing weather, and that its frightful scream is produced by fear. It is not very easily tamed, for Mr. White informs us that he kept one alive for two days, during which time it would eat nothing, but bit at every one who approached it very severely. The habits of this species are probably parasitic, for a young bird given me by Lady Dowling was one of two taken from a branch while being fed by birds not of its own species. The eggs I have seen were of a light stone-colour, marked all over, particularly at the broad end, with irregular patches of reddish brown; many of these were of a darker hue, and appeared as if beneath the surface of the shell."
A young Scythrops introduced into Dr. Bennett's aviary was, he tells us, "placed in a compartment already occupied by a Dacelo gigantea, or Laughing Kingfisher. Doubtless feeling hungry after its journey, it immediately opened its mouth to be fed, when its wants were regularly attended to by the Dacelo, which, with great kindness, took a piece of meat, and, after sufficiently preparing it by beating it about till it was in a tender state, placed it carefully in the gaping mouth of the young Scythrops. This feeding process was continued until the bird was capable of attending to its own wants. In the morning it used to perch on the most elevated resting-place in the aviary, occasionally raising itself, flapping its wings, and then quietly settle down again, after the manner of Hawks when in confinement, and presenting much the appearance of that tribe of birds."
THE BUSH CUCKOOS (Phœnicophæï) possess a slender body, long tail, and small tarsi; the wings are short, the beak of moderate size and very powerful; the region of the eye is bare, and the magnificently tinted plumage of a hairy texture. These birds occupy India and the neighbouring islands, one species alone being met with in Africa. We are, unfortunately, but little acquainted with their habits, and as yet have only ascertained that they frequent the inmost recesses of the forests, and subsist upon insects.
THE KOKIL, OR LARGE, GREEN-BILLED MALKOHA.