340 



COCC Y G L>; ERYTHK OP TJIALMUS. 



The hill is curved while the gape is wide and deep. The stoma,ch is not amscular and 

 tlicrc iirc moderately long cooca. The tail is quite long but not greatly exceeding the wings 

 in length. The tail is considerably graduated. 



GENUS I. COCCYGUS. THE AMERICAN CUCKOOS. 



Gen'. Cn. General colors are brown aburc and while hclow. No hands or eonsjiicuovs sjiols anyirlicre on Ihc body. 

 Tail, more or less broadly tipped wilh white. 



The sternum is as given under Family ciiaracters, as is also the bill. The larynx is ])rovided with a rather stout sterno- 

 trnebealis and a broncho-tracliealis posticus hothtifwbich bave their tracheal ori;;in at the same height; the lower ex- 

 tremity of the latter is attached ro the lx)ny half rings of the larynx. The tympaniform membrane is present and the oa 

 , transversalc sujiports a slight semilunar membrane. The resophagus is without dilatatiim and opens into a large, rather 

 globular, provcntriculus w'iloli has <iuitc tliick walls composed of long oval glanils which are arranged in a iionular band 

 and measure in erythroplhahnus '10 in length. The stomach is a rather spherical sack with very tliin walls and is lined 

 itv'ith a soft inembrano vrliich is, at least in our two northern species, covered with hairs that, under the microscope, resem- 

 ble, tiiose from caterpillars. Tiic duodenum is very short and incloses a comjjact pancreas which, although short, is quite 

 wide at the ujipcr extremity. The cccca are long with the blind ends somewhat dilated. The sj)lcen is an oval body situa- 

 ' ted nearly over the cardiac opening of the stomach and is quite granular in structure. The tiba3 arc covered with long 

 . feathers but the tarsi arc only slightly feathered on the extreme ujiper anterior surface. 



COCCYGUS ERYTHROPTHALMUS. 

 Black-billed. Cuckoo. 



Cocryijus crylhroplhalmus l!oN., Ohs. Wils.; 18135, 48. 



DESCIUL'TION. 



Si'. Cn. Form,notvery roliust. Size, mcdiimi. Sternum, not very stuut. Tnnirue, long, lliiii, wide at the base, and 

 quite horny, esjiecially near the tip wliich is bitid, andaboutone third of the teriiLinal ]«)rli{in nl'tlu' sides is pruvidcil with 

 coarse cilia. Space around eye, naked. 



Color. Adult. Above, including wings and tail, reddish-brown with a decidedly gnumish gloss everj'whero except- 

 ing on top of the head whore there is an under tint of plumbeous. Beneath, white, with the throat, upjier Ijreast, abdomen, 

 and under wing and tail coverts, overwashed with yellowish-ruf )us. Two tliirds of the basal portion of the inner welis of 

 the wing f.-'atl)ers are aUo ycUowish-rufous. . Central jiair of tail feathers slightly, and all the others more broadly, tipped 

 with while wh.ich on all, but the tv,-o firmer, i; preceded by a band of dusky. Sides of head,])lumbeous. Naked sp-ice a- 

 round eye, including eyelid, scarlet. Bill, black, blue on basal two thirds of lower luandiblc. I'eet, liluisli. 



Youn^. Very similar to the above but the tail is only slightly ti])|)cd with white and ihe ilu'^ky subterniinal baml is 

 not as clear. There is less yellnwisli-rufous below, while ihi^ lower manilible is nut as blue. 



Ncstliwjs. Are not unlike the above, but their appearance is changed considerably li\ tlie f 'atlici-s uf (be uiii)er )iarts 

 being narrowly edged with white. The colors are purer, there being imly a trace of the yclh)\>isli mcrwasiung, but all 

 the feathers show dusky ccntci-s. Bill, as in (he young stage of plumage but the feet are brown. Sexe.s, similar in all 

 Stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Specimens vary greatly in size but, although some are much larger than others, yet the im ri'ase i-j w<!l |iroiiortion<'d. 

 The nestlings arc able to fly some time l)efore they assume tlic full length of tail or attnin Ihe size of the adub. (bie now 

 before me and which bad left the nest, pi-cscnts a singular feature f>r it yet retains the egg tooth on the li|) of tiie upper 

 luandilile that almost all birds lose in a few days a.ftor birth. Readily known from the two remaining s))ecics of this genus 

 which occrr within our Ihnits by the narrow white tipjiing to the tail and also by the bluish tint im the under mandible. 

 Distributed during suiiuner throughout Eastern United States from the latitude of Georgia to that of the White Mountains. 

 Winteis in South America. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average im-asureiiient-s of thirteen specimens from New England. Length, ll'S.'j; stretch, lt)-25; wing,5'70; tjiil, .O'ljC: 

 liill, •«;); tai-sus, -93. Tj ingest sp.-jcimen, 13-70; greatest extentof wing, 17-00; longe-jt wing, fi-0:1; tail, (i'(il; bill,- !).'): tai-- 

 sus. rnn. Sliortest spec^imen, ll-nO;smallest extent of wing, 15-50; shortest wing, .")-10; tail, ■l-.'',0; bill, -85; tarsus, -85. 



