Harris Birds of the Kansas City Region. 271 



the south. Between the 15th and 23rd of September the last 

 southward bound birds have generally left, though an individ- 

 ual bird lingers now and then into October. Some exception- 

 ally late dates are October 19, 1893, October 2, 1915, and Oc- 

 tober 22, 1916. 



The nest is a very flimsy affair indeed as the eggs are often 

 visible from beneath through the loosely constructed platform 

 of coarse twigs. Three or four and rarely five greenish eggs 

 are laid sometimes during June. 



There are many particulars regarding the life history of this 

 peculiar bird that are worthy of attention ; such as their appar- 

 ent occasional parasitism, the simultaneous bursting of all the 

 feather sheaths of the nestlings, the peculiar and unique mating 

 behavior and their habit of feeding on certain irritating insect 

 larvae that but few, if any, other birds will eat. 



COCCYZUS ERYTHROPHTHALMUS (Wilson). Black-billed Cuckoo. 

 Uncommon migrant and rare summer resident. 



The arrival and departure of this cuckoo as well as its nest- 

 ing habits, behavior and other points of life . history are the 

 same as those of the Yellow-billed, though it is far less fre- 

 quently seen. 



A close observer may readily distinguish it in the field from 

 the Yellow-billed. It should be looked for during the breeding 

 season as but scant local nesting data has been secured. 



There are but three or four known sets of eggs in local col- 

 lections that have been taken in this vicinity. 



Suborder Alcyones. Kingfishers. 

 Family ALCEDINIDAE. Kingfishers. 



CERYLE ALCYON (Linn.). Belted Kingfisher. 

 Common summer resident and rare winter resident. 



A few Kingfishers are found on the streams in late February 

 but they do not become numerous until a week or two later. 

 Only a few remain as late as the last half of November. Dur- 

 ing open winters an occasional bird has been known to remain 

 all winter near some favorite fishing hole. During the rather 

 severe winter of 1916-1917, when the smaller streams were at 

 times frozen solid, at least two birds were known to have spent 



