164 



BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO 



Fig. 86. 

 TaU of Black-bnied Cuckoo. 



Fig. 87. 

 Thumb-marks on tail of Yellow-billed Cuckoo. 



The nests and eggs are similar, thongli the 

 Black-billed's nest is not quite so loosely put 

 together. 



The Cuckoos are among the first birds on Mr. 

 Forbush's list of those that eat the caterj^illars 



of the gypsy 

 moth, which for 

 some years back 

 has been ravag- 

 ing New Eng- 

 land trees. Of 

 the Black-billed's 

 stomachs exam- 

 ined by the Bio- 

 logical Survey, 16 contained 328 caterpillars, and 

 in addition 15 grasshoppers and some spiders. 

 The Cuckoos and Kino-fishers are in the same 



:f^/^ ,^t' 



'^ 



Fig. 88. 

 Gypsy Moth, eaten by Cuckoo. 



