ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT. 273 



Order COCCYGES. Cuckoos. 



These are climbing birds with curved, not hooked beaks. 



Suborder CUCULI. Cuckoos. 



Family CUCULID.^. Cuckoos. 

 Feed on insects, even eating hairy caterpillars; very beneficial. 



Subfamily COCCYGIN/E. Cuckoos. 



Genus COCCYZDS Vieill. 



Yellow-billed Cuckoo, rednced. 



1 76-38 7-(429). Coccyzus americanus (Linn.). *Yell,ow-bill,ed Cuckoo. 



Formerly rather rare at this place, but now quite common: "less common in 

 Monroe Co. than the next species" (Jerome Trombley); -'breeds commonly on 

 Heisterman's Island, Saginaw Bay" (N.A.Eddy); "common in Kalamazoo Co." (Dr. 

 M. Gibbs); S. E. White reports this species very rare in Kent Co. and one seen at 

 Mackinac Island. July 8, 1889; "common at Albion and St. Joseph " (O.B.Warren); 

 " I have this and the next species both taken here, I have also taken eggs of the 

 Black-billed" (W. A. Oldfield); easily mistaken for the Black billed Cuckoo; Dr. 

 Atkins reported finding eggs of this species in the nest of the Black-billed Cuckoo; 

 " the time of incubation of eggs, in the same set, very variable " (S. M. Falconer); 

 breeds; I find both this and the next species nesting commonly about the college 

 grounds; nests in trees; eggs two to six, usually four; like those of the next species, 

 only larger and a little lighter colored. We see that these birds are some like the 

 European Cuckoo in the habit of using each others nests, which may account for 

 the varying period of incubation. 



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