BIRDS OF MANY FAMILIES 205 



spinous tidbits, doing us a real service in their 

 destruction. They eat a large number of cater- 

 pillars, so many, in fact, that the walls of their 

 stomachs are full of the spines, a condition 

 which does not seem to interfere with the bird's 

 happiness. 



The nesting habits of the Cuckoo are such as 

 one expects from a bird of eccentric character. 

 The nest is little more than a platform of sticks, 

 so carelessly made as to afford little protection 

 to the fledglings, and it is so flat that often the 

 young fall out; but because of its low position 

 they do not have far to fall. The eggs are 

 laid at most irregular intervals, so there are 

 often newly hatched youngsters, others half 

 grown, and eggs in the nest at the same time. 

 Sometimes, if you chance upon the nest of the 

 Cuckoo, the owners will leave and not return, 

 abandoning eggs and young to their fate. They 

 are very tame birds, permitting near approach 

 without taking alarm. When perched they have 

 rather a crouching position and the long tail 

 droops. They seem languid, even lazy, in all 

 their movements except when feeding. 



The Black-billed Cuckoo is larger than the 

 Robin, being about a foot in length. The upper 

 parts are a grayish olive-brown, the under parts 

 whitish, and the wing feathers are narrowly 

 tipped with white. The long, slightly curved 

 bill is black. They range over North America 

 east of the Rocky Mountains, breeding from 

 the Gulf of Mexico to Labrador. They winter 

 in South America, and are among the arrivals 

 in early May. 



