108 



CUCULUS. CUCKOO. 



Bill of moderate length, rather slender, arctiato-declinate, 

 broader than high at the base, compressed toward the end, 

 acute ; upper mandible with the dorsal line arcuato-declinate, 

 the ridge narrow but obtuse, the sides sloping at the base, con- 

 vex toward the end, the edges sharp, with a slight sinus close 

 to the declinate, acute tip ; lower mandible with the angle 

 short, the dorsal line slightly decurved, the ridge rather narrow, 

 the sides sloping outwards, toward the end convex, the edges 

 thin, the tip narrow and obtuse ; the gape-line arcuate. 



Tongue rather short, slender, thin, emarginate and minutely 

 papillate at the base, the tip acute. CEsophagus wide, taper- 

 ing ; proventriculus rather large ; stomach large, round, with 

 the muscular coat very thin, and composed of large flattened 

 fasciculi ; the cuticular lining soft and rugous ; intestine of 

 moderate length, rather wide ; coeca large, oblong. 



Nostrils elliptical, with a prominent margin. Eyes of moder- 

 ate size. Feet very short ; the tarsus feathered halfway down, 

 anteriorly scutellate, scaly behind, and rather sharp. Toes 

 small, broad beneath ; the first very small, the third longest ; 

 the fourth longer than the second, and reversed. Claws rather 

 small, arched, much compressed, laterally grooved, rather acute. 



Plumage soft and blended ; the feathers ovate, with a short 

 plumule ; those on the rump elongated and rather stiff. AVings 

 long, straight, and pointed, with twenty quills ; primaries taper- 

 ing and rounded, the first a third shorter than the second, the 

 third longest ; secondaries short, broad, abrupt, the inner 

 rounded. Tail long, graduated, of twelve rounded feathers. 



This genus is especially remarkable for containing birds which 

 deposit their eggs in the nests of other and smaller birds of 

 various genera, leaving them there to be hatched, and thus 

 committing their offspring to the care of strangers. Only one 

 species visits this country in summer. 



