1 88 Birds of Buzzard's Roost 



birds inhabiting wooded areas. They are possessed of peculiar 

 vocal powers, and their strange calls are frequently the origin 

 of their popular 'names. For instance, in some parts the yel- 

 low-billed cuckoo is called the cow-bird from its call "kowe, 

 kowe, kowe," and the rain crow because often its call is most 

 frequently made just before the approach of a rain storm. 



The bill is that which gives the yellow-billed cuckoo its 

 distinguishing name. It is long, arched, and curved downward 

 at the tip like a shoemaker's awl. The upper mandible is black 

 and the lower yellow except at the tip, which is also black. 

 Iris of the eye hazel, feathered close to the eyelid, which is yel- 

 low below. The general color of the upper parts, with the 

 wing coverts and two middle tail feathers is a light greenish 

 brown. The wings are not so long as the tail, are of a brown- 

 ish color, with the inner vanes of a bright reddish cinnamon. 

 The tail is quite long, held in a somewhat oblique position, and 

 excepting the two middle feathers, is black, with a broad white 

 space at the end of the three outermost feathers, and the 

 fourth white on the outer web. The whole lower parts of 

 the body are pure white. The feathers covering the thighs are 

 large like those of the hawk tribe. The legs and feet are light 

 blue. The feet of the cuckoos have been the source of much 

 study and conjecture among the ornithologists, in this, that 

 they have four toes in two pairs, one pair being in front and 

 the other in the rear. This is the manner of the construction 

 of the feet of the woodpecker family, and with them the reason 

 for such construction is easily accounted for, since it enables 

 them to hold fast to the boles of the trees. This reason can not 

 be applied to the cuckoo, since it does not ascend or descend 

 the boles of trees. The general appearance of this cuckoo is 

 very much like that of the mourning dove. In appearance the 

 sexes are alike except that the female is the largest. 



The yellow-billed cuckoo is a migrant. In the chapter on 

 the bobolink we have seen that it is one of the birds which 

 takes the "Bobolink route" in its migrations. Its range ex- 

 tends from Costa Rica north to about latitude 45 degrees 30 

 minutes. In the United States, through southern Maine, Mich- 

 igan, Wisconsin, southern Minnesota, and South Dakota ; west 

 to Nebraska, Kansas, the Indian Territory, and Texas ; south 



