ANDERSON — THE BIRDS OF IOWA. 271 



Those Becoming So" (lowaOrn., 11, 1895, pp. 2-3), states that the 

 Paroquet formally ranged as far north as Spirit Lake, where it 

 would frequently remain until the cold snow would drive it 

 southward. Its food in winter consisted chiefly of the seeds of 

 the cocklebur. Its nature was so peculiar that when one of the 

 number was killed or wounded, the others would gather around 

 it with shrill cries and in this way the entire flock could easily 

 be annihilated. 



Dr. Rich states that many years ago the Paroquets were noticed 

 just across the river from Sioux City, in Nebraska. Some were 

 captured and kept as cage pets. A series of about a dozen speci- 

 mens in the University museum were taken by D. H. Talbot's 

 collectors at the mouth of the Arkansas River in 1882. 



Order COCCYGES. Cuckoos, Kingfishers, etc. 

 Suborder CUCULL 



Family CUCULID^. Cuckoos, Anis, etc. 



Two species of Cuckoos represent this family in Iowa. They 

 are slender brownish-gray birds with somewhat lustrous plum- 

 age. The voice is a rather hoarse croak. The American 

 Cuckoos very seldom lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, 

 but cases are known in which they have done so, and quite com- 

 monly the two species deposit eggs in each others' nests. * 



Subfamily COCCYZIN^. Cuckoos. 

 Genus Coccyzus Vieillot. 



173- (387)- Coccyzus amenca?n(s (L^nn.). Yellow-billed Cuckoo. 



The Yellow-billed Cuckoo is a common summer resident in all 

 parts of the state, arriving in May and remaining until October. 

 Its harsh notes have caused it to be sometimes known as " Rain- 

 crow." The nests are usually placed in small trees or bushes, 

 not over eight or ten feet from the ground and rather flimsily 

 constructed. The eggs are laid in June, July and August, and 

 half-fledged young birds are often found in the same nest with 

 partially incubated, or even fresh eggs. Occasionally an egg of 

 the Yellow-billed Cuckoo is found in a Black-billed Cuckoo's 

 nest, or vice versa, but the Cuckoos are not habitually parasitic. 



