YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO. 279 



YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO.* 

 May-bird. 



Coccyzus Americanus. 



Cuculm Americanus^ LINN. Aud. pi. 2. 



CucuLus Carolinensis, WILS. 



Coccyzus Americanus, VIKILL. 



Erythrophrys Americanus^ Sw. 



ALL our Cuckoos but the present are permanent 

 residents; this is but a summer visitor. Nor 

 is it at any time very common, a few only taking 

 up their abode with us, while their brethren con- 

 tinue their vernal migration from the southern 

 to the northern continent. In the "Notes of 

 a Year," before quoted, Mr. Hill has the follow- 

 ing observations on this species. " The visit of the 

 May-bird is one of the precursors of the spring 

 rains in this island. The hazy atmosphere which 

 precedes the showers of the vernal season, has 

 already dimmed the usual lustre of the sky ; the 

 winds have ceased ; the heat has begun to be irri- 

 tably oppressive ; the air to assume a steamy dense- 

 ness, hot and heavy ; the butterflies have left the 

 parched and blighted pastures to congregrate where- 

 ever they can find any kind of moisture, and the 

 insects to attract the Nightjars to the lowlands, when 



* Length 13 inches, expanse 16, flexure 5-jiy, tail 5, rictus ly^, tar- 

 sus 1, middle toe 1. 



