BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO. 131 



and is written k-kiil\ k-kuk\ k-kuk. As it is supposed 

 to be a sig'n of rain, be is eonnncjnly called " Rain- 

 crow." 



A Cuckoo was beard in Icjwa Circle recently, but 

 that was unusual, for be is a sby bird and seldom ven- 

 tures into tbe city, probably only wdien tbe trees are 

 full of caterpillars. His favorite food is tent cater- 

 pillars, tbe sort tbat make tbeir ugly nests in our trees 

 and ruin tbe foliage, and be is therefore extremely use- 

 ful. Mr. Chapman tells of shooting a Cuckoo at six 

 o'clock in the morning which bad fort>'-tbree of these 

 caterpillars in bis stomach. 



'' Family cares rest lightly on the Cuckoo. Tbe nest 

 of both species is a ram-shackle affair — a mere bundle 

 of twigs and sticks without a rim to keep tbe eggs 

 from rolling from the bush, where they rest, to tbe 

 ground. Tbe over-worked mother-bird often lays an 

 Qgg while brooding over its nearly hatched com- 

 panion, and tbe two or three half-grown fledglings 

 already in the nest may roll the large greenish eggs 

 out upon tbe ground, while both parents are off bunt- 

 ing for food to quiet tbeir noisy clamorings." (Neltje 

 Blancban.) In this part of the country tbe Cuckoo 

 more often nests in trees than in bushes. 



Black-billed Cuckoo: Coccyzus erytlirophtJialmus. 



Tbe Black-billed Cuckoo is much like tbe Yellow- 

 billed, but besides the different bill his wings have no 

 brown on them, and his tail-feathers are but slightly 

 tipped with wdiite. Tbe voice of the Black-billed is 

 softer than that of the common Cuckoo and bis notes 

 are more connected. Tbe nest and eggs are much tbe 

 same. Resident (rare) from May 2 to October 15. 



