LAND BIRDS. 341 



bird was shot in an oat field infested with army worms near Ellsworth, 

 McLean county, 111., and when examined by Prof. S. A. Forbes, 95 percent 

 of the food in its stomach consisted of army worms (Trans. 111. State Hort. 

 Soc, Vol. 15, 1881, p.- 129). 



It certainly is one of our most valuable birds and it is to be regretted that 

 it is not more numerous. Although generally distributed, and nowhere 

 rare, it nevertheless is nowhere abundant. It seems probable that with 

 us it rears two broods during the season, but exact data on this point are 

 very desirable. It seems to be a little more careless than the Yellow-billed 

 Cuckoo in regard to its eggs, which are frequently found in the nests of the 

 Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and less often, but occasionally, in those of other 

 birds. Mr. J. G. Davidson, of Lockport, N. Y., says that in Niagara county, 

 N. Y., on June 17, 1882, he "found a Black-billed Cuckoo and a Mourning 

 Dove sitting together on a Robin's nest. The cuckoo was the first to leave 

 the nest, which contained two eggs of the cuckoo and one of the Robin 

 (all somewhat incubated), and two of the dove, perfectly fresh" (Bendire, 

 I, 141). 



F. S. Shuver, of Bangor, Mich., says: "It seems in this locality to nest 

 very commonly late in the fall, as every year I find several nests. On 

 September 14, 1897, I found a Black-billed Cuckoo sitting on four fresh 

 eggs. I stepped up and examined the nest, and the bird, true to its habit, 

 at once abandoned the nest. On September 3, 1894, I found a nest of this 

 cuckoo in a large spice bush, and as the heavy frosts had taken the leaves 

 from the bushes, I watched it from a distance without disturbing it. On 

 September 12, I found four young birds and an addled egg in the nest. 

 The birds cared for the young until the 18th, when a very cold autumn 

 rain began; they then deserted their brood and were not seen again" (Bull. 

 Mich. Ornith. Club, II, 1898, 16). 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



Similar to the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, but bill entirely blackish, or with merely a yellowish 

 tinge at the base of the lower mandible; edge of eyelid bright red (but iris brown); tail- 

 feathers (except middle pair, which are like the back) grayish brown, with a sub-terminal 

 darker bar, and narrow white tips; chin, throat and upper breast grayish white, often with 

 a buffy tinge; rest of under parts pure white; wing-feathers without rufous on inner webs. 



Young: Similar, but duller brown above, the eyelids dull yellow instead of red. 



Length 11 to 12.70 inches; wing 5.12 to 5.65; tail 6.25 to 7. 



Family 45. ALCEDINID^. Kingfishers. 

 Only a single representative occurs in Michigan. 



163. Kingfisher. Ceryle alcyon (Linn.). (390) 



Synonyms: Belted Kingfislier.— Alcedo alcyon, Linn., 1758, Wils., 1811, Aud., 1831. 

 — Ceryle alcyon, Boie, 1828, and authors generally. 



Figures 87 and 88. 



One of our few birds in which blue predominates; possibly to l)e mistaken 

 for the Blue Jay by the beginner, but readily separated by a glance at 

 figures 87 and 98, and by noticing that the bill is nearly two inches long in 



