Identifier: royalnaturalhist47lyde (find matches)
Title: The royal natural history
Year: 1893 (1890s)
Authors: Lydekker, Richard, 1849-1915 Sclater, Philip Lutley, 1829-1913 Frostick, W. B., former owner. DSI Brooks, W. T., former owner. DSI
Subjects: Zoology Natural history
Publisher: London and New York : Frederick Warne & Co.
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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^ arc birds of universal distribution, veiy VOL. IV.— I PICARIAN BIRDS. varied in form and habits, some being entirely parasitic, while others build nests.They are divided into six subfamilies; and while the usual number of tail-feathersis ten, in one group (Crotophagince) only eight are present; the other subfamiliesbeing well distinguished. The first representatives of the typical subfamily Cuculince arethe crested cuckoos, which, in common with the other members ofthe group, have pointed wings, and are strong fliers. The genus is distinguished Crested Cuckoos.
Text Appearing After Image:
GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO (f liat. size). by the presence of a crest on the head; and of its eight species five are African,while one (Coccystes jacobiiius) is common to Africa and India, another (Ccoromandus) is peculiar to the Indian region, and the last is European. Althoughthe great spotted cuckoo (C. glandariiis) has twice occurred in England, its homeis in South-Western Europe and the Mediterranean countries, extending thencethrough Syria and Asia Minor to Persia, while in winter the bird ranges intoAfrica, as far as Cape Colony. It is of an ashy brown colour, Avhite below, witha buff-coloured throat, and is easily distinguished by its crested grej^ head andlong tail, which is broadly tipped with white. The length of the bird is about DSl CUCKOOS. 3 16 inches. Its note is described by Canon Tristram as kee-ow, kee-ou, and it has an alarm-note resembling the word cark, as well as a third note, like wurree, wiirree. It is parasitic, like the members of the genus Cucuhis, but does not v

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