176 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 



Order COCCYGES. 



Cuckoos and Kingfishers. 

 Family CUCULIDJE. 



THE CUCKOOS. 



We have two species of Cuckoos, which closely resemble one an- 

 other. Unlike the English Cuckoo they build nests of their own and 

 hatch their own young. 



a. Inner webs of wing feathers rufous, outer tail feathers with conspicuous 



white tips. YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO, p. 176 



aa. Inner webs of wing feathers not rufous, outer tail feathers with narrow 



inconspicuous tips. BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, p. 177 



387 Coccyzus americanus (Linnaeus). 



Yellow-billed Cuckoo. 







PLATE 35. 



Adults. Length, 11-12.50. Wing, 5.60. Above, brownish-gray, with a slight 

 greenish gloss ; the wing feathers mainly rufous on the inner webs ; three outer 

 tail feathers, black, tipped with white; under parts, grayish-white; upper 

 mandible, black ; lower, yellow. 



Young in first summer. Similar, but feathers somewhat edged with buff 

 above. 



Nest a rather loose platform of twigs with a thin lining of grass, usually in 

 the lower branches of a tree or in a thick bush ; eggs, three to five, pale 

 greenish-blue, 1.20 x .90. 



Common summer resident; arrives May 3d (May 9th), departs 

 October 15th. 



Although apparently generally distributed over the State the 

 Cuckoos are not conspicuous birds, their subdued colors and habit of 

 concealing themselves in the thick foliage causes them to be over- 

 looked 



Their note is a series of short clucking calls, growing louder and 

 less rapid and ending in several loud syllables "cow, cow, cow, cow." 



The birds are frequently called Eain Crows, from the idea that 

 their calling foretells rain, and "Cow" bird from their note. Unlike the 



