476 



NORTH AMEUICAN BIRDS. 



The American Cuckoos differ from the European (Cmuliis) liy having 

 lengthened naked tarsi, instead of very short feathered ones. The ncstrils, 

 too, are elongated instead of rounded. The habits of the two are entirely 



Coccygiis americanus. 



different, the American species rearing their own young, instead of lapng 

 the eggs in the nests of other birds, like the European Cuckoo and the 

 American Cowljird {Molothrns jjecoris). 



The following synopsis will serve to distinguish tlie Nortli American spe- 

 cies of Coccyfjus, with tlieir more nearly related southern allies, all of them 

 being of a light greenisli color aliove, tinged with ashy towards the head : — 



Species and Varieties. 

 A. Tail-feathers except two middle ones black, with broad, sharply defined 

 terminal spaces of white. 



a. Lower mandible vqIIow. 



C. americanus. Beneath pure white, with an ashy shade acro.ss the 

 jiifculuni. Timer webs of primaries mostly rufous. Auriculars nearly 

 concolor with the nape. Lenpfth, 12.00 ; wing, .5.4.5 ; tail, 5.G4 ; cul- 

 men, 1.00 ; tarsus, .90. Ilah. United States (very rare in the West- 

 ern Province), Jamaica, Porto Rico. 



2. C. minor. Beneath ochraceous, generally paler anteriorly. Inner 

 webs of primaries without any rufous. Auriculars blackish, con- 

 spicuously different from the nape. Length, 12.00 ; wing, 5..30 ; tail, 

 7.50; graduation of tail, 2.75. Tail-spots about 1.00 long. Hah. 

 West Indies, and Northern and Eastern South America, Southern 

 Florida. 



b. Lower mandible blackish like the upper (pale blue in life). 



3. C. melanocoryphus.' Colors similar to those of C. minor, but 

 upper parts more brown. Wing, 4.50; tail, 5.85; graduation of the 

 tail, 2.00. Tail-spots .about .50 long. Hab. South America (Buenos 

 Ayre.<i, Peru, La Plata. Cayenne, etc.). 



' Cocajgus melanocoriiphus, Vieillot, Nouv. Diut. Till, 271.- 

 -1e. p. Z. S. 1864, 122. 



■ ScL.\.TEU, Catal. 1862, 323. 



