CUCULIX^. CUCULUS. 81 



FAMILY VII. CUCULIN^E. CUCULINE , 

 BIRDS OR CUCKOOS. 



Bill long or moderate, wide at the base, compressed 

 toward the end, somewhat arched, and pointed ; upper 

 mandible with the ridge obtuse and arcuato-declinate, the 

 edges sharp, notchless, the tip decurved. Tongue of 

 moderate size, flattened, tapering ; oesophagus wide, with- 

 out dilatation ; stomach very large, round, with its mus- 

 cular coat thin, the epithelium soft and rugous ; intes- 

 tine of moderate length and width, with large oblong 

 coeca, as in the Owls. Trachea with a single pair of in- 

 ferior laryngeal muscles, being slips of the sterno-tra- 

 cheales. Eyes of moderate size. Nostrils linear, oblong, 

 or circular, direct, in the short bare nasal groove. Feet 

 short, weak, or of moderate strength ; tarsus short, with 

 a very large scutella ; toes four, scutellate, broad beneath ; 

 first small, second shorter than fourth, and united at the 

 base with the third, which is very long, fourth reversed ; 

 claws moderate, compressed, curved, acute. Plumage mo- 

 derately full, the feathers ovate, with a very short plu- 

 mule ; wings long or moderate, much rounded, the first 

 quill short, the third and fourth longest ; tail very long, 

 ample, graduated or rounded, of twelve broad feathers. 



The Cuculinse, of which none are permanently resident 

 in countries subject to severe winter cold, feed on insects, 

 worms, and soft fruits, in procuring which they glide 

 among the trees and foliage, leaping from branch to 

 branch, but never climbing in the manner of Wood- 

 peckers or Creepers. They fly with rapidity, but on the 

 ground walk in a constrained and awkward manner. 



GENUS XXI. CUCULUS. CUCKOO. 



Bill of moderate length, rather slender, arcuato-declinate, 

 broader than high at the base, compressed toward the end, 



F 



