ANIS, ROAD-RUNNERS, AND CUCKOOS 193 



ORDER COCCYGES: CUCKOOS, ETC. 



(Families Cuculid.e, Tkogoxid.e, and Alcedixid.e.) 



FAMILY CUCULIDiE: ANIS. ROAD-RUNNERS. AND 

 CUCKOOS. 



KFA- TO GENERA. 



1. Tail feathers 8 Crotophaga. p. 193. 



r. Tail feathers 10. 



2. Bill long'er than head Geococcyx. p. 193. 



2'. Bill not longer than head Coccyzus, p. 195. 



GENUS CROTOPHAGA. 



384. Crotophaga sulcirostris Swains. Groove-billed Anl 

 Bill thick, witli a convex crest : wings rounded ; tail feathers broad, 



widening to very obtuse ends, ^[(lults : 



dull black, feathers of body with 



metallic bluish, greenish, or bronzy 



edgings ; wings and tail faintly glossed 



with metallic bluish or violet; upper part of bill with several eiistinct 



qrooves. Young: imiform sooty black. Length: 12.00-14.50, wing 5.50- 



■()..">(). tail T.30-8..30. 



Distribution. — In Lower Sonoran and Tropical zones from southern 

 Texas south to Peru. Casual in southern parts of California. Arizona, 

 Louisiana, and Florida. 



Nest. — Bulky, made of twigs and lined with green leaves, placed often 

 in an orange or lemon tree. J^ggs : 3 to 5, milky blue. 



Food. — Grasshoppers, and parasites of cattle. 



The groovo-bilk'd anis are residents of the lowlands. Major 

 Bendire says, rarely being found at an altitude of more than 700 

 feet. 



They resemble tlie eowbirds in their habit of following cattle, and 

 not only catch the in.sects that the cows start up but do a great deal 

 of good by relieving the animals of the parasites which infest them. 

 When not disturbed the birds become very tame and roost in luim- 

 bers about the houses. Their call-note. Dr. Ralph thinks, suggests 

 that of the flicker — a piccro repeated rapidly. 



GENUS GEOCOCCYX. 



385. Geococcyx californianus (Lr.s.s). Uoad-ri-nner. 



U.-irt' space aroniid fyt-, oi-.in'^e and blue; fe.'ithers of head and neck 

 l.iigely bristle-tii)pe<l ; whole phimage coarse and hai-sh ; eyeli<l.s la.shed ; 

 wings short .and concavo-convex, witli long inner secondaries fohh'd entirely 

 (»ver prim.iries ; t.iil long and graduated : upj)er parts couspieuously 

 streaked witli l)rowuisli white, most lieavily on wiu'^s ; crest .and fore p.arts 

 of It.ick gh)ssed witli bluish lilack, changing t<» bron/.v green or brown; 

 tail long, plain bron/y. blue lil.iek. .and green, gr.idu.ated. tips with white 



