38 



BLACK -BILLED CUCKOOS, our most 

 abundant species, can easily be distin- 

 guished from Yellow-billed ones since 

 both mandibles are black, there is a 

 .prominent red eye ring and the tall 

 feathers are all uniform in color, the 

 outer ones being 1 very narrowly tipped 

 with white. 



Cuckoos have four toes two of which 

 are in front and two behind; the object 

 of this arrangement is not apparent 

 for, so far as we know, their habits of 

 living are not such as to derive any 

 special benefit from such an arrange- 

 ment. They are valuable birds, since 

 their food is wholly insectivorous in- 

 cluding such destructive species as tent 

 caterpillars which few other birds will 

 devour. Their notes are all guttural 

 and croaking in character; hence the 

 ill-favor with which many persons re- 

 gard them, without reason. Their nests 

 are rude platforms of twigs, lined with 

 a few catkins, placed low down in 

 thickets or briers. 



Their nests are shabby platforms of twigs and catkins, 

 placed in thickets or the lower branches of trees. The dull 

 blue eggs are a trifle larger and lighter colored than those 

 of the Black-billed Cuckoo. 



Most of our Owls are night birds, not because they cannot 

 see during daylight, for many of them can see just as well 

 in bright light as any other kind of bird, but because after 

 dark hunting conditions are more favorable to securing the 

 food they desire. With few exceptions Owls are valuable 

 liirds, feeding extensively upon moles, meadow mice and 

 other destructive rodents which only come from their re- 

 treats after dark. However, our largest species, GREAT 

 HORNED OWLS, do not come under this class of useful 

 birds. They and those rare winter visitors, Snowy Owls, 

 are our only species which can be classed as destructive. 

 They are large and very powerful, capable of and fre- 

 quently carrying away full grown fowls, grouse, rabbits 

 and other creatures not exceeding these in size. Because 

 of the cutting away of much of the heavy timber in which 

 these birds live, they are yearly becoming more rare within 

 our limits. Horned Owls are frequently seen abroad during 

 daylight and are apparently not at all bothered by bright 

 light. They nest either in cavities of large trees or lay 

 their eggs in old crow or hawk nests. Their most common 



