Order COCCYGES. Cuckoos, etc. 



Suborder OUCULI. Cu'ckoos, etc. 



Family CUCULID^. Cuckoos, An is, etc. 



Subfamily COCCYGIN^. American Cuckoos. 



Genus COCCYZUS Vieillot. 



C0CCYZU8 AMERICANU8 (Linn.). 



168. Yellow-billed Cuckoo. (387) 



Above, uniform satiny olive gray or " quaker color," with bronzy reflec- 

 tions ; below, pure white ; wings, extensively cinnamon-riifous on inner webs 

 of the quills ; central tail feathers, like the back ; the rest black with large 

 white tips, the outermost usually edged with white ; bill extensively yellow- 

 below and on the sides. Length, 11-12 inches; wing, o-oi ; tail, 6-6i ; bill, 

 under 1 inch. 



Hab. — Temperate North America, from New Brunswick, Canada, Minnesota, 

 Nevada and Oregon, south to Costa Rica and the West Indies. Less conunon 

 from the eastern border of the Plains westward. 



Nest, on a bough, or in the fork of a low tree, composed of twigs, lea\-es and 

 soft vegetable material. 



Eggs, four to eight, pale glaucous green. 



It is a well-known fact that the British Cuckoo entirely ignores 

 family responsibilities by depositing its eggs in the nest of a bird of a 

 different species, and with a pleasant " cuckoo " bids good-bye to the 

 whole connection. 



The two kinds we have in Canada are not so totally depraved. 

 They usually build a nest and bring up a family, but even to them 

 the duty does not seem to be a congenial one, and they are some- 



