PICARI/E PICIFORMES — PICID.E. 81 



Family CUCULID^ : Cuckoos. 



134. (21.) Coccygus erythrophthalmus (TVils.) Bd. Black-billed Cuckoo- 



" Rain Crow." 



Less abundant than the succeeding species, but not at all rare. It is, 

 like the other, a summer resident, arriving May 1 and departing late 

 in September. It frequents woods and copses; its habits are much the 

 same as those of the yellow-billed, but the note is not so harsh, and less 

 prolonged. Both are known by the local name of "Bain Crow." [428] 



135. (20.) Coccygus americanus (Linn.) Bp. Yellow-billed Cuckoo; "Rain 



Crow." 



A very abundant summer resident, and especially numerous in spring 

 and fall, chiefly in high open woods. Arrives May 1 and departs late 

 in September. It breeds here plentifully, placing its frail platform of 

 twigs on the bough of a tree. Both species of Cuckoo are notable for 

 their tardiness in completing the clutch of eggs, so that fresh eggs and 

 others in different stages of incubation may be found in the same nest 

 with young birds. They also occasionally slip an egg in other birds' 

 nests; but the parasitic habit is not established, as it is in the cases of 

 various Old World species of this family. [429] 



Suborder PICIFORMES: Woodpeckers. 

 Family PICIDiE: Woodpeckers. 



136. (25.) Hylotomus pileatus (Linn.) Bd. Pileated Woodpecker; "Cock of 



the Woods;" "Black Log-cock." 



This is one of the birds which retires most speedily with the opening 

 of the country, being wild and wary, and delighting in the heaviest 

 timber. It was rare in 1862, having already responded in this negative 



Fig. 61.— Foot of Pileated Woodpecker, nat. size. 



manner to the encroachment of the city upon its favorite haunts. It is 

 still, however, regularly exposed for sale in the market, being brought in 

 from the surrounding country, though we should doubt that a single 

 Pileated Woodpecker now resides in the immediate vicinity of the city. 

 The only one we remember to have ever seen alive was in a piece of heavy 

 timber known as "Gales' Woods;" but that was about 1857 or 1858. 

 Mr. Shoemaker informs us that one was seen a year or two ago. Mr. 

 Palmer states that he finds them every winter in market; that he saw 

 Bull. Nat. Mus. No. 26 6 



