MAYNARD'S CUCKOO. 353 



Coccyzus minor maynardi. 

 Maynards' Cuckoo. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sub Sp. Ch. Size, form and general coloration of the Mangrove Cuckoo, but very much paler beneath, 

 often with a tinge only of the buff so characteristic of the Mangrove Cuckoo. Occurs on the Bahamas and 

 on the Florida Keys. 



HABITS. 



Mayiiard's Cuckoo is found all winter on the Bahamas, throughout the islands which 

 I have visited, from New Providence to Inagua, hut not as connrion at this season as it is 

 in spring. They frequent thickets near fields, and often venture into the open grounds 

 to feed, but usually when taken by surprise in such places, quickly retreat to the thickets, 

 uito which they glide easily. Once within the cover of the shrubberj-, their movements 

 are quite deliberate, but Avhen approached, they will jump from branch to branch, and 

 although not appearing to hasten, will manage to elude their pursuer, and become quicklv 

 lost in the foliage. 



The flight of this Cuckoo is rapid, the wings being moved quick]}-, much more so 

 than in the Black or Yellow Billed Cuckoos. Tliey generally move straight forwai'd, 

 without douljling, and when they wi.sh to alight they do so suddenly without anv 

 preliminary lessening of their speed, and as soon as their feet touch the branch the tail is 

 dropped perpendicularly. As a rule, this Cuckoo is rather sh}', especially Avheu in oiien 

 fields, but I once came aci'oss one near Mathewstown, Inagua, tliat was feeding in an old 

 field, that was very tame, allowing me to approach within ten feet of it, as it deliberately 

 searched for food among the remains of partly decayed stul)S of trees which stood in the 

 clearing. When I came too near it would merely fly from stulj to stub. 



All through the winter Maynard's Cuckoo is rather silent, but as spring approaches 

 they begin to utter their singular cries, and at times, more especialh- before rain, are 

 quite noisy. The notes may be represented by the syllables " on, on, on, on, qua, qua, 

 qua, coo, coo, co." The " ous" are given very I'apidh', with a decided Cuckoo-like 

 intonation. The •'(juas" are harsher, more like the notes of the Bahama tree frog, and 

 are not hiu'riedly given. The last three notes are more Cuckoo-like than anj^ of the 

 others. The first four notes are often omitted, then the harsldy and gravely given 

 " quas '" begin the song and on occasions these quaint sounds are not folloAved by any 

 other notes, theji it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the n'otes uttered from some of 

 those uttered b}* the large Andios Island Cuckoo, Sam'othera andrea. This varied song 

 is uttered in the early morning with rather more energy than at any other time in the day. 



I have never found a nest of this Cuckoo, but judging from the c(nulition of the 

 ovaries of females that I dissected should sa^- that the eggs are deposited about the first 

 week in May. 



GENUS II. CROTOPHAGA. THE BLACK CUCKOOS. 



Gen. Cii. Form, long and slender. Tail, of eight feathers, larger than wing and rounded. Bill witli 



the culman of upper mandible, elevated and compressed into a sharpened ridge, which gives the birds a 



parrot-like appearance. There are three species of the genus, all tropical or sub- tropical, and one only of 

 which has been taken in ,ur section. 



