478 NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



seems to characterize the more southern and Jamaica specimens, which also 

 are smaller ; northern specimens, however, show similar variations. In the 

 immature birds the under surface of the tail-feathers is gray, not black, so 

 that tlie contrast with the white tips is very indistinct, as in erytlirophthal- 

 mus, in which, however, these light tips are much narrower, while the bill is 

 entirely black. 



Specimens of this bird from regions west of the Missouri, and especially 

 one from Cantonment Burgwyn, New Mexico, are appreciably larger than 

 eastern, with decidedly longer bill. One brought from Mazatlan by Mr. 

 Xantus is undistinguishable from the long-billed western variety. 



Habits. The Yellow-billed Cuckoo is distributed throughout North 

 America from Canada to Florida, and from the Atlantic coast t,o Cali- 

 fornia. It has been met with in all the principal West India Islands. 

 I have received specimens of its eggs and nest from Southwestern Texas. 

 Audubon mentions finding this bird high up on the Mississippi Eiver, on 

 the upper branches of the Arkansas, and in Upper Canada, as well as in 

 every State between these limits. Mr. Newton found it breeding in the isl- 

 and of St. Croix, Mr. Gosse mentions it as a bird of Jamaica, and Lembeye 

 gives it among those of Cuba, and Mr. Salvin found it in Central America. 

 It is known to breed from the West Indies and Florida to Minnesota, and 

 from New Brunswick to Texas. It does not appear to have been met with 

 in any of the government expeditions, except by Dr. Woodhouse, who speaks 

 of it as very common in the Indian Territory, Texas, and New Mexico. 



This species was seen on one occasion, and lieard at other times, near Sac- 

 ramento City, Cal., by Mr. Eidgway, in June, 1867. It was there rare, or at 

 least not common, and found principally in the willow-thickets. It was 

 again met with in July, of the same year, along the Truckee Eiver, in Ne- 

 vada, where, also, it appeared to be very rare. 



Wilson traced it as far north as Lake Ontario, and speaks of finding it 

 numerous in the Chickasaw and Choctaw nations, and as breeding in the 

 upper part of Georgia. He seems to have observed very carefully its habits, 

 and to have enjoyed favorable opportunities for his observations. His ac- 

 count of their nesting is interesting. He states that, in marked contrast to 

 the singularly unparental conduct of their European relatives, the American 

 Cuckoos build their own nest, hatch their own eggs, and rear their own 

 young, and tliat in conjugal and parental affection they seem to be surpassed 

 by no other birds. He adds that they begin to pair early in May, and com- 

 mence building about the 10th of that month. He describes their nest as 

 usually fixed among the horizontal branches of an apple-tree ; sometimes in 

 a solitary thorn, crab, or cedar, in some retired part of the woods. It is con- 

 structed with little art, and scarcely any concavity, of small sticks and 

 twigs, intermixed with green weeds and blossoms of the maple. On this 

 almost flat l)ed the eggs, usually three or four in number, are placed ; these 

 are of a uniform greenish-blue color, and of a size proportionate to that of 



