470 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Family CUCULID^. — The Cuckoos. 



Char. Bill compressed, usually more or less lengthened and with decurved culmen. 

 Rictal bristles few or none. Nostrils exposed, no nasal tufts. Tail long and soft, of 

 eight to twelve feathei's. Toes in pairs, deeply cleft or not united, the outer anterior toe 

 usually versatile, but directed rather laterally than backward. 



The CucMlidaz form a strongly marked group of birds, easily distinguished 

 among the Zygodadyii by the characters given above. The outer toe is 

 versatile, but in the American form is more lateral than posterior in the 

 skin, standing sideways, or even anterior, more frequently than behind. 



Modern systematists divide the family into six or more subfamilies, of 

 whicli two only are American, none of these having more than ten tail- 

 feathers. These may be characterized as folio w^s : — 



Coccyginae. Face covered with feathers ; bill elongated, more or less 

 cylindrical, straight or curved. Tail of ten feathers. 



Bill about the length of the head, or not longer ; curved. Loral 

 feathers soft. Legs weak, tarsus shorter than the toes. Arboreal . Coccygus. 



Bill longer than the head ; straight. Loral feathers stiff, bristly. Tarsi 

 much longer than the toes. Terrestrial ..... Geococcyx. 



Crotophaginae. Face naked. Bill much compressed, with a sharp crest. 

 Tail of eight feathers. Bill shorter than and nearly as high as the head. 



Crotophaga. 



Subfamily COCCYGIN-SI. 



Genus GEOCOCCYX, Wagler. 



Geococcyx, Wagler, Isis, 1831, 524. 



Leptostoma, Swainson, Classification Birds, II, 1837, 325. 



Gen. Char. Bill long and strong, slightly compressed, and at least as long as the head ; 

 head crested ; loral feathers, and those at base of bill, stiffened and bristly. Nostrils 

 elongated, linear. A naked colored skm around and behind the eye ; the eyelids ciliated. 

 Tarsi longer than the toes; very stout. Wings very short and concave; the tertials as 

 long as the primaries. Tail longer than the head and body ; composed of ten narrow, 

 much graduated feathers. 



This remarkable genus is represented in the United States by a single 

 species, known as the Paisano, Chaparral Cock, or sometimes Eoad-Eunner, 

 on account of its frequenting p\d)lic highways. Its very long legs enable 

 it to run with great rapidity, faster even than a fleet horse. A second 

 species occurs in Mexico, the Geococcyx affinis of Hartlaub. This is smaller, 

 and differently proportioned. In both the feathers above are bronzed brown 



