414 



PICA IlIyE. 



CUCULIDiE. 



CUCVLID.E. 



1 



CoccYzus AMEEiCANUs (Lmiifeus*). 

 THE AMERICAN YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOW. 



Coccyzus Americanus. 



Coccyzus, Vieillot-f. — Bill long, much compressed at the sides; culmeu con- 

 siderably decurved ; cutting edge quite smooth ; lower mandible decurved beneath. 

 Gape moderate. Nostrils basal, linear-oval, half-closed by a membrane. Wings 

 short, with ten primaries, the first short, the third longest. Tail very long, 

 of ten feathers, graduated. Tarsi strong, short, bare behind, feathered in front 

 and on the outside above ; toes two before, two behind. 



The first notice of the occurrence in Britain of this 

 American bird was published in January, 1833 (Field Natu- 

 ralist, i. pp. 6, 7), the late Mr. Ball making known, under 

 date of October 20th, 1832, the capture of two specimens: — 

 one (which was there figured) shot in the autumn of 1825 

 near Youghal, in the county of .Cork, and brought to him 

 while still warm and bleeding ; the other but recently shot 

 at Old Connanght, near Bray, and in the possession of 

 Glennou, the well-known bird-stufier at Dublin. What be- 

 came of the latter is unknown, but the former, after having 



* Cuculus americanus, Linnteus, Syst. Nat. Ed. 12, i. p. 170 (1766). 

 t Analyse d'une nouv. Orn. p. 28 (1816). 



