a, THE YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO. 
for the battle of life. At this season the birds hunt and wait upon their young 
principally at night, in order not to attract hostile attention to them by day- 
light visits. Only one brood is raised in a season, and since fishing is unques- 
tionably a fine art, the youngsters require constant supervision and instruction 
for several months. <A troop of six or eight birds seen in August or early 
in September does not mean that Kingfisher is indulging in mid-summer gaities 
with his fellows, but only that the family group of that season has not yet been 
broken up. 
No. 159. 
YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO. 
YA. O. U. No. 387. Coccyzus americanus (Linn.). 
Synonym.—Rain-Crow. 
Description.—Adult: Above nearly uniform, satiny, brownish gray, with 
something of a bronzy-green sheen; the inner webs of the primaries cinnamon- 
rufous, the outer webs and sometimes the wing coverts tinged with the same; 
central pair of tail-feathers like the back and completely covering the others during 
repose; remaining pairs sharply graduated,—blackish with broad terminal white 
spaces, the outer pair white-edged; a bare space around the eye yellow; under parts 
uniform silky white or sordid; bill curved, upper mandible black, except touched 
with yellow on sides; lower mandible yellow, with black tip. Jmmature: Similar 
to adult, but plumage of back with slight admixture of cinnamon-rufous or vina- 
ceous ; tail-feathers narrower,—the contrast between their black and white areas 
less abrupt. Length 11.20-12.60 (284.5-320.); wing 5.60 (142.2); tail 6.00 
(1.52.4) ; bill 1.00 (25.4). 
Recognition Marks.—Robin to Kingfisher size; slim form and lithe appear- 
ance ; brown above, white below. Distinguishable from the next species by definite 
yellow lower mandible, more or less extensive cinnamon-rufous ot wing, and 
sharply-graduated, broadly white-tipped tail feathers. 
Nest, a careless structure of twigs, bark-strips, and catkins, placed in trees 
or bushes, usually at moderate heights. Eggs, 4, sometimes 5, 6, or even 8, pale 
greenish blue, becoming lighter on continued exposure. Av. size, 1.27 x .QI 
(G23 22 23311)s 
General Range.—E astern temperate North America, breeding irom Florida 
north to New Brunswick, Canada and Minnesota, west to the eastern border of the 
plains, and south in winter to Costa Rica and the West Indies. 
Range in Ohio.—Abundant susimer resident. Less common northerly. 
MOST birds prefer to face the enemy, so to keep his every movement 
well in eye, but Cuckoo presents his back, a cold gray affair, from behind 
which he peers now and then, turning his neck and giving you one eye in a 
lofty, well-bred way. I recall no other bird whose gaze is so calm, so direct, 
