378 YELLOW-BILLED AMERICAN CUCKOO. 



\ve have seen, this change of colouring takes 

 place among all the True Cuckoos, between the 

 young state and the attainment of the adult 

 plumage. There is trifling distinction between 

 the sexes. 



The American form of the Cuculince has been 

 taken as the type of a distinct genus by Mr 

 Swainson. In several parts of structure it differs 

 from the True Cuckoo, and the birds also vary by 

 being sylvan in their habits, and in forming for 

 themselves a nest, and rearing their own young. 

 Mr Swainson has given the characters of his 

 genus as follows : 



ERYTHROPHRYS, Swain. Generic characters. 

 > " Head not crested ; nostrils oval ; wings 

 lengthened, pointed, extending beyond the 

 tail coverts, the third quill longest, the 

 second much shorter than the fourth ; tarsus 

 moderate, naked." 



Type. E. Carolinensis. 



Note. America. Rear their own young. 

 Habits sylvan. 



ERYTHROPHRYS AMERICANUS, YELLOW-BILLED 

 AMERICAN CUCKOO CuculusAmericanus^ Linn. 

 C. Carolinenis, Wils. Coccyzm Americanus, 

 Bonap. Eyton, 8$c Erythrophrys Americanus, 

 Swain. Virginia or Carolina Cuckoo of modern 

 British authors. A few specimens of this bird 



