(BROWN CUCKOO.)
+Diplopterus nævius+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 107. +Diplopterus
galeritus+, _Barrows, Auk_, 1884, p. 27 (Entrerios).
_Description._--Above ashy brown, with large black shaft-spots; head
rufous, striated with black; wings blackish, edged with brown; tail
similar, but with slight white tips to the feathers, and the upper
tail-coverts much elongated: beneath dirty white: whole length 11·5
inches, wing 4·5, tail 5·5. _Female_ similar.
_Hab._ Mexico, and Central and South America down to Argentina.
The Brown Cuckoo, called "Crispin," is found throughout the hot portion
of South America, and in different districts varies considerably in size
and colouring. It is about 12 inches long, the beak much curved; the
prevailing colour of the upper parts is light brown, the loose feathers
on the head, which form a crest, deep rufous. The upper tail-coverts are
long loose feathers of very unequal length, the longest reaching nearly
to the end of the tail. The under surface is dirty white, or dashed with
grey.
Azara says it is called _Chochi_ in Paraguay, and has a clear sorrowful
note of two syllables, which it repeats at short intervals during the
day, and also at night during the love-season. It is solitary, scarce,
and excessively shy, escaping on the opposite side of the tree when
approached, and when seen having the head and crest raised in an
attitude of alarm. In the northern part of the Argentine country it is
called _Crispin_, from its note which clearly pronounces that name. Mr.
Barrows found it common at Concepcion on the Uruguay river, and has
written the following notes about it:--
"Several were taken in open bushy places, and many others were heard. It
is a plain but attractive Cuckoo with a few-feathered crest, and long
soft flowing upper tail-coverts. The note is very clear and penetrating,
sounding much like the word 'crispin' slowly uttered, and with the
accent on the last syllable. The birds are very shy, and I followed one
for nearly an hour before I saw it at all, and nearly twice that time
before any chance of a shot was offered. There is some peculiarity in
the note which makes it impossible to tell whether the bird is in front
of or behind you--even when the note itself is distinctly heard. I know
nothing of nest or eggs."
From personal observation I can say nothing about this species, as I
never visited the district where it is found; but with the fame of the
Crispin I have always been familiar, for concerning this Cuckoo the
Argentine peasants have a very pretty legend. It is told that two
children of a woodcutter, who lived in a lonely spot on the Uruguay,
lost themselves in the woods--a little boy named Crispin and his sister.
They subsisted on wild fruit, wandering from place to place, and slept
at night on a bed of dry grass and leaves. One morning the little girl
awoke to discover that her brother had disappeared from her side. She
sprung up and ran through the woods to seek for him, but never found
him; but day after day continued wandering in the thickets calling
"_Crispin, Crispin_," until at length she was changed into a little
bird, which still flies through the woods on its never-ending quest,
following every stranger that enters them, calling after him "_Crispin,
Crispin_," if by chance it should be her lost brother.