428 THE ANI, OR SAVANNAH BLACKBIRD. 



"Early in May they begin to pair, when obstinate battles take place among the males. 

 About the tenth of that month they commence building. The nest is usually fixed among the 

 horizontal branches of an apple-tree ; sometimes in a solitary thorn, crab, or cedar, in some 

 retired part of the woods; It is constructed, with little art, and scarcely any concavity, of 

 small sticks and twigs, intermixed with green weeds and blossoms of the common maple. On 

 this almost flat bed, the eggs, usually three or four in number, are placed ; these are of a 

 uniform greenish-blue color, and of a size proportionable to that of the bird. While the 

 female is sitting, the male is generally not far distant, and gives the alarm, by his notes, when 

 any person is approaching. The female sits so close, that you may almost reach her with your 

 hand, and then precipitates herself to the ground, feigning lameness, to draw you away from 

 the spot, fluttering, trailing her wings, and tumbling over, in the manner of the partridge, 

 woodcock, and many other species. Both parents unite in providing food for the young. 

 This consists, for the most part, of caterpillars, particularly such as infest apple-trees. The 

 same insects constitute the chief part of their own sustenance. 



"They are accused, and with some justice, of sucking the eggs of other birds, like the 

 crow, the blue jay, and other pillagers. They also occasionally eat various kinds of berries. 

 But, from the circumstance of destroying such numbers of very noxious larvae, they prove 

 themselves the friends of the farmer, and are highly deserving of his protection." 



THE YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO (Coccygus americanus) is distributed throughout North 

 America from Canada to Florida, and from the Atlantic coast to California. It also is met 

 with in the West India Islands, and breeds in nearly all these localities. 



THE MANGROVE CUCKOO (Coccygus minor) is a regular summer visitor in Key West and 

 the other Florida Keys. It is especially West Indian. 



THE BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO (Coccygus erythropthalmus} differs from the Yellow-billed in 

 the black of the bill, and the absence of black on the tail-feathers ; some minor differences also 

 occur. In other respects it is closely allied to the latter, and is also distributed in nearly the 

 same localities, but is less numerous. Wilson says this bird retires into the woods to breed, 

 being less familiar than the former species, and choosing an evergreen sapling as a site for the 

 nest, which is made of twigs pretty well put together, but still little more than a concave floor- 

 ing, and lined with moss and withered catkins of the hickory. The female is less timorous 

 than the Yellow-bill, and sits composedly until the intruder has approached very closely, 

 without showing evidence of alarm. The nest, without being at all remarkable for its finish, 

 or the nicety of its arrangements, is much more artistic and elaborate than that of the Yellow- 

 billed. 



THE ANI, or SAVANNAH BLACKBIRD (Orotophaga am). This is scarcely more than a 

 straggler in the United States, its habitat being in the West Indies, and in South America. 

 It is about the size of the preceding bird, and has some resemblance to the parrots. In the 

 West Indies it is called the Black Witch. Its familiar habits and grotesque appearance make 

 it quite universally known. The little chickaree fly-catcher makes it a subject of torment, 

 and chases him with vigorous thrusts of his little bill, until the larger bird retreats in disgust. 

 It moves with a peculiar gliding flight. In feeding it is omnivorous. It catches insects on the 

 ground by very active jumps ; pursues them on the wing, and with its sharp, thin bill, digs 

 them out of the earth. It hops about and over the cattle, and when grazing, on the cattle's 

 tails will be seen to be one or more clinging to the hairs, and pecking out insects that may be 

 there. They are what is called downward climbers, not upward climbers. They enter a tree 

 by alighting on the extremity of a branch, and reach the centre by creeping along the stem. 



Another species, called the Groove-billed Ani, has lately been found to be entitled to a 

 place in the North American fauna. 



The Anis are all inhabitants of tropical climates, and are found chiefly in forest-lands, 

 being most common in the dense woods of South America. They are by no means large birds. 



