36 HONEY-GUIDE A single species of this bird, the yellow-backed Honey-Guide, occurs in the Himalayas at two places only, viz., in Sikkim and near Murree and Abbotabad where, again, it is very rare. No Sanskrit name is available for it. 37 CUCKOOS The birds of this family are divided into two groups, the one arboreal and parasitic, and the other terrestrial and non-parasitic. A. PARASITIC CUCKOOS 1. The parasitic nature of Cuckoos has long been known in India. as we find one named as अन्यवाप in the वाज, संहिता, 24.34. Other common names are or . These are usually applied to the Himalayan Cuckoo and the Koel but the expression fa evidently includes the group as well:-- “धन्यं धिनोति वचनैः श्रवणानुकूलै : अन्यं दुनोति परुषः परपुष्टजाति: " भिक्षाटनकाव्य, 27.4, काव्यमाला, Pt. 12. In this verse love-sick person complains principally against the Cuckoo but generalises against the whole tribe including the Hawk-Cuckoos, the Pied Crested-Cuckoo, etc. whose calls are not welcome to a separated lover. Cuckoos other than the Black Koel cuckold small birds of different kinds, e.g., Babblers, Chats, Pipits, Wagtails, etc., and knowledge of this fact on the part of the ancients is fully reflected in the names given above and in the half verse from a given below:-- "प्रागन्तरिक्षगमनात् स्वमपत्यजातं अन्यैद्विजैः परभृताः खलु पोषयन्ति" - 5.22. The Koel of the plains on the other hand victimises the common House- Crow and occasionally the Jungle-Crow, and is therefore called The male bird's loud call of 'has given us names like etc., for it and the name g¹ for the night of the New- moon which is supposed to be as black as the bird itself. Sanskrit appears to have been formed on a false analogy with the Prakrit 1 AV.7.47.1. For other derivations of see, 6.11.23. . ,
