28 THE BIRDS OF 



under side of the tail one-fourth of an 

 inch long instead of one-half of an inch 

 long as in the Yellow-billed. Our 

 American Cuckoos do not call their 

 names as do their foreign relatives, but 

 utter a note sounding like Kuk-kuk-kuk- 

 kuk - ka - ka - kow - kow - kow becoming 

 more rapid toward the end. The Black- 

 bill's note is softer and the syllables are 

 more closely connected. 



Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 



This bird (Plate 3, p. 29) is injurious 

 to trees, as it sucks the sap and other 

 juices from the tree by puncturing holes 

 in the bark. Often one sees apple trees 

 girdled with holes made by the Sap- 

 sucker. This bird is not a resident with 

 us, stopping only for a short time every 

 spring and fall, while traveling from its 

 winter to its summer home and vice 

 versa. It is easily distinguished from 



