484 MOUTH AMEUICAN lilUDS. 



Coccygus erythrophthalmus, Don. 



BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO. 



Cucuhifi <i'iithriiphthnf Hills, Wilson, Am. (Mn. IV, Isll, \{\, \t\. xxviii. focoixvn rry 

 tliroi>lithnl„ni^, l)os. «)l>s. Wils. \^'i:t, |s. In. ( i.ii>[i. !»:»(», IV. Ari». Oiii. IWoj^. 

 I, 1>:')2, 170; V, yi:\, J.!, .\xxii. — In. Uinls Anuri.ii, IV, \^\1, ;{oO, \A. rilxxvi.— 

 II.MKi., liii.ls N. Am. 1>.'»^, 77. — ScL. Cat. ]8»J2, 3-J3. — S.vmiki.s, 85. Enj- 

 (hi'iijihrys cri/fhroji/ifJic/nin.-i, Hon. List, 1^38. Vikcijzus doiiiinic'.s, (li.VTll.) Nrir. 

 Man. I, 1832, rifiG \,\\o\ of L.VTH.v.M, whidi 1h1oii;?.s nitlit r to V. niacriaunis, on account 

 of tJK' nd (jiiills ami while cil^c of outer tail-fcuther). 



Sr. Cn.vu. IJill t-iitirely l>la«k. I'iukt parts i,'('nci filly ol'u iiiL'tallic j:ivt'ni.<h-olive, ashy 

 towards tho ha.^e of tlio hill; luMH'ath pure wliito, with a brmvuish-ycUow tiiifre on the 

 throat. Innrr webs of tho tpiills tinmd with riniianion. I'iuKt surface of all the tail- 

 feathers hoary a>h-u:ray. All, exeept the central on either si<le, suOused with darker to 

 the short, Idiiish-white. and not W('ll-<lenned tip. A naked red skin ronnd the eye* 

 Len.LTth. ahont I'J.OO ; wiiiir. .■>.0i» ; tail, 0..jO. 



II.Mi. Tnited States to the Mis.sonri plains, south tolJoirota. Localities: Cuba (Cab. J. 

 IV, l.">4, nests; (JiNOL. IJfjx'rt. I, iSdO, 'j:>."») ; Guat«inala (Sai.vin, Ibis, II, 270); 

 Mexico and HoL-'ota (.*^<"L. Cat. :»'_*.'>) ; I>th. Panama (Lawu. Ann. X. Y. Lye. VII, 02); 

 Costa Rica (Latm:. X. \. Lye. IX, 12S). 



This S2)ot'ie.s dillers IVoiii tlie U. (uncricanus in the black bill, and the 

 ab.seiice of 1 thick on tin.' tail-le.ithers, the white tips of which are much 

 shorter and Ic^s abriiidly detined. One .specimen (5,2o3) from the Upper 

 Mi.^soiiri lias a much stronger tinye of yenowisli-cinnamon on the inner 

 webs of the (luills than the others. The sexes are quite simihir. 



Hauits. Tlie lUack-ltiHed Cuckoo, so closely allied with the common 

 species in respect to size, appearance, habits, and all its general characteris- 

 tics, is also distributed throughout very nearly the same localities, where, 

 however, it is usually regarded as a nnieh less abundant bird. It is found 

 throughout the United States as far west as the Missouri plains. Dr. 

 AVoodhouse met with this bird in his expedition down the Zuni and Colo- 

 rado Kivers, but states that he .saw l)ut very few, either in Texas or in the 

 Indian Territorv. Lembeve, I)e la Sagra, and Dr. (4undlach include it as a 

 visitant, in the winter months, to Cuba. Mr. Audubon met with this 

 Cuckoo in Louisiana only a few times in the course of his various re- 

 searches, and never in any Western State except Ohio. He does not .seem 

 to have been aware that it ever breeds south of X'ortli Carolina. From 

 thence to Maine, and even as far north as the Canadas, X'ova Scotia, and 

 Southern Labrador, he gives as its distribution during the breeding-sea- 

 son. He also regarded it as much more conmion in low and wooded ground 

 on the borders of the sea, where it freiiuents the edges of woods rather than 

 their interior, and chiefly on the edges of creeks, and in damj) places. Mr. 

 X'^uttall appeared to haxe regarded it as very nearly as common as the Yel- 

 low-bill throughout the I'nited States, and as extending its migrations as far 

 north as Xova Scotia and Newfoundland. He states that it is found in St. 



