FAM. XXV. CUCKOOS, ANIS, ETC. 181 



front, and two behind,- more or less downwardly curved bills, 

 and elongated, rounded, to strongly graduated tails. Our birds 

 belong to three of these subfamilies. Only the Old World 

 cuckoos use the nests of other birds in which to place their 

 eggs. The anis are very peculiar in their nesting habits ; 

 several females join together and build a single nest for all 

 their eggs and then take turns in the work of incubation. 



Key to the Species 



* Bill nearly as high as long, and much flattened sideways.^ (C.) 



* Bill elongated, only about a third as high at base as long. (A.) 



A. Bill nearly straight almost to the tip when it is abruptly decurved ; 



tail 10 or more long, ^yesteru ground bird 2. Road-runner. 



A. Bill regularly curved downward for nearly its full length;* tail, 8 

 or less long. (B.) 

 B. Bill nearly black throughout ; wings with little or no cinnamon color. 



5. Black-billed Cuckoo. 



B. Bill with much yellow below ; belly white ; wings with much cinna- 

 mon color 4. Yellow-billed Cuckoo. 



B. Bill yellow below ; belly tawny or buffy o. Mangrove Cuckoo. 



C. Upper mandible smooth or slightly wrinkled 1. Ani. 



C. Upper mandible with several distinct grooves parallel with the top 

 of the bill Groove-billed Ani (1). 



1. Ani (383. Crotdphaga clni). — A long-tailed, large, south- 

 ern, bronze-black bird, with a large, much compressed bill. 

 The back shows steel-blue reflections, the lower parts are a 

 dull black, and the tail is much rounded. This is a ground- 

 living bird. 



Length, 12-15; wing, 5| (o\-6) ; tail, 8; tarsus, l] ; culmen, 11. 

 West Indies and eastern South America, casual in Florida and Louisi- 

 ana, and accidental near Philadelphia. The Groove-billed Ani (384. Ci-o- 

 tuphaga srdcirostris), of Mexico and Texas, is similar to the last, but 

 with a grooved bill. Length, 12-15 ; wing, 6 ; tail, 8. 



