^^ 



226 KINGFISHERS. 



388. Coccyzus erythrophthalmus ( Wils.). Black -billed 



Cuckoo. Ad. — Upper parts grayish browu with a slight green gloss; wings 



and tail the same, the 

 latter narrowly tipped 

 with Avhite ; under 

 parts dull white ; bill 

 black. L., 11-83; W., 

 Fig. 74.— Tail-feathers of Black-billed Cuckoo. 550 ; T., 6-26 ; B. from 



N., -74. 

 Bemarl's. — This species is to be distinguished from the Yellow-billed 

 Cuckoo chiefly by the absence of rufous in the wings, black in the tail, and 

 yellow in the lower mandibl^e. 



Range. — Eastern North America ; breeds as far north as Labrador, and 

 winters in Central and South America. 



Washington, rather rare S. K., May 2 to Oct. 15. Sing Sing, common S. 

 K., May 3 to Oct. 7. Cambridge, common S. R., May 15 to Sept. 20. 



Nest., similar to that of the preceding, but more compactly built; location 

 the same. Eggs, two to five, greenish blue, of a deeper shade than those of 

 the preceding species, 1-14 x -85. 



This species resembles the preceding in habits. The two birds may 

 be distinguished in life by the differences in the color of their bills and 

 tails. Mr. William. Brewster has called my attention to an easily rec- 

 ognizable difference in their calls. The present species has a much 

 softer voice, and the cow, cow notes are. connected. 



The Ani {883. CrotopJiaga ani)^ a common species in the Bahamas and 

 Greater Antilles, is of accidental occurrence in Pennsylvania, Florida, and 

 Louisiana. Its plumage is black witli bluish reflections, the tail is rounded, 

 the bill high and thin, the depth at the nostril equaling or exceeding the 

 distance from the nostril to the tip of the bill. 



Family Alcedinid^. Kingfishers. 



Kingfishers are most numerous in the Malay Archipelago, and the 

 majority of the one hundred and eighty known species are found there. 

 Only eight are American, and seven of these are confined to the tropics. 

 They are solitary birds of somewhat local habit. All the American 

 species are, as their name implies, fish-eaters, and are rarely found far 

 from the water. Some of the Old- World species, however, are forest- 

 inhabiting and feed on small insects, mollusks, etc. 



390. Ceryle alcyon {Linn.). Belted Kingfisher. (See Fig. 35.) 

 Ad. $, . — Upper parts bluish gray ; wings with small white spots, most of the 

 feathers tipped wdth white, the inner web of the primaries white at the base ; 

 tail-feathers with numerous spots and broken bands of white : a white spot 

 before the eye ; throat white, this color passing on to the sides of the neck 

 and nearly meeting on the back of the neck ; a band across the breast, and 



