156 AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



HABITS. ' 



For generations this quiet, unobtrusive and useful friend has been 

 abused at the hands of those ignorant of his true character. He has been 

 charged with never making a home for his offspring, with laying eggs in 

 the nests of other birds, and with devouring the eggs and young of other 

 birds. These statements are true as concerning the European Cuckoos, 

 but our American ones are more civilized. The habits of the present spe- 

 cies differ as much from the English representative of this family as those 

 of our gentle, useful sparrows do from those of the imported, indolent and 

 insolent English Sparrow. His ways are very quiet and his dismal croak 

 is suggestive of evil. His deeds, however, are good and without his help 

 many a farmer would gather a poor crop of apples. There are few birds 

 that eat the hairy caterpillars that infest apple orchards and none to the 

 extent of the Cuckoo. About the second week in May the Cuckoo be- 

 gins to build his house, if a flat platform of sticks can be called a house. 

 To make amends for the small amount of labor put in their houses they 

 usually decorate them with a few apple blossoms or catkins. 



Cuckoos have peculiar ideas in regard to rearing their little ones. 

 They lay their eggs at intervals of two or three days, so that by the time 

 the last egg is laid the first is hatched. Perhaps they think that in this 

 way the task of feeding the little ones will be lightened as by the time the 

 last egg has hatched, two of the young will be large enough to shift for 

 themselves. The photo taken by Dr. Pardoe gives a good idea of the ap- 

 pearance of the young. 



Mr. Jas. K. Thibault, Jr., sends the following notes from Arkansas: 



"The Yellow-billed Cuckoo, 'Caw Crow,' or as it is more often called 

 'rain crow,' is a very common bird here. The name of 'rain' crow' is un- 

 doubtedly given it on account of its uttering its croaking sounds more 

 frequently just before and after a rain. This habit has brought down upon 

 it the vengeance of all the small boys as they believe that it calls for 

 more rain and thus breaks up a fishing trip or ball game. The tree frog, 

 has the same superstition attached to it. 



"One of its calls that it is very fond of uttering when in some secluded 

 spot well hidden by the luxurious foliage somewhat resembles that of the 

 Mourning Dove, though the time is different. 'Koo-uck, koo-uck,' re- 

 pealed seven or eight times. Besides this note it has several others the 

 interpretation of which is very difficult. As it moves about like a spirit 

 among the green foliage constantly giving its harsh, gutteral call, with its 

 tail slightly-drooped, its body in a horizontal position, and its head lower- 

 ed to almost the same level it forms one of the most striking pictures im- 

 aginable. Its soft colors render it very difficult to see this bird when it is. 

 sitting still as its dark back and white breast give the same effect as that 

 produced by seeing the white clouds through a small opening in the foliage.'" 



