CLASS II. AVES: ORDER 3. SCANSORES. 



209 



THE YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO. 



to this, for it often leaves its young to be reared by other birds. The eggs are two to four, and 

 of a bkiish-green color, usually very pale. It has a frequent cry of kou, kou, kou, whence it is 

 called Cow- Bird ; as these notes are supposed to be uttered most frequently before a storm, it 

 is also called Rain-Crow. It is a curious fact that no less than four specimens of this bird have 

 been seen in England, where it is not indigenous ; it is supposed they must have migrated across 

 the Atlantic. 



THE BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO. 



The Black-billed Cuckoo, C. erythrophthalmus^ is twelve and a half inches long, and resem- 

 bles the preceding in appearance and habits ; it is also distributed through the same regions. It 

 i- less shy, however, and its note is something like worrattotoo; the eggs, three to five, are a 

 bluish-green. This is the St. Dominqo Cuckoo of Nuttall. 



Vol. II.— 27 



