220 COCCYGUS MINOR. 



In breeding habits, the Yellow-billed Cuckoo does not differ essentially from the 

 Black-billed. The eggs are deposited about the same time and the young leave the nest 

 early and, although they have not acquired the full plumage, fly very well. I obtained 

 some in this stage at Watsontown, Pennsylvania, during the first week in September, 

 which were, in company with their parents, feeding in the tops of lofty trees. In the au- 

 tumn, the Cuckoos grow very fat and one which I obtained at Watsontown, on the twenty- 

 eighth of September, was so corpulent that it was scarcely able to fly but sat apparently 

 stupefied, not attempting to move when I walked within a few feet of it. They remain in 

 the north until about the first week in October, then all take their departure for tropical 

 climes. 



COCCYGUS MINOR. 



Mangrove Cuckoo. 

 Coccygus minor CAB., Jour, fur Orn.; 1825, 47. 



DESCRIPTION. 



SP. OH. Form, robust. Size, not large. Sternum, stout. Tongue, long, thin, wide at the base, and quite horny, 

 especially near the tip which is bifid, and about one third of the terminal portion of the sides is provided with coarse cilia. 

 Space around eye, feathered. 



COLOR. Adult. Above, including wings and central tail, plumbeous-brown with a slight greenish gloss everywhere 

 excepting on top of the head. Beneath, white overwashed with a strong tinge of yellowish-rufous which is darkest un the 

 abdomen and under tail coverts. Three fourths of the basal portion of the inner webs of the wing feathers are yellowish- 

 rufous. Central pair of tail feathers slightly tipped with white, remaining feathers nearly black, excepting basal portion of 

 the more central, tipped with white which extends along the outer webs of outer feathers, at first, widely, then rapidly 

 narrowing to a mere line which extends to the base of the feathers. Spot in front of eye, ring around it, and triangular 

 area back of it, black. Bill, black, yellow on basal three fourths of lower mandible. Feet, bluish. 



Youny. Very similar to the above but the tail is not as dark and there is less yellow on the lower mandible and they 

 are not as strongly overwashed below. Sexes, similar in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Readily known from the Yellow-billed Cuckoo which it closely resembles, by the yellowish-rufous overwashing below 

 and by the absence of the cinnamon on the wings. Distributed during summer throughout the Florida Keys. Winters in 

 South America. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of specimens from Florida. Length, 12'00; stretch, 15'OG; wing, 5'95; tail, fi'50; bill, '90: tar- 

 sus, -92. Longest specimen, 12'25; greatest extent of wing, 16-00; longest wing, 5'10; tail, 6-15; bill, TOO; tarsus no. 

 Shortest specimen, 11'75; smallest extent of wing, 15'OG; shortest wing, 5'00; tail, 4'75; bill, '85; tarsus, '85. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, placed in bushes, they are flat in form and very loosely constructed of quite small sticks, and weeds, lined with 

 leaves. Dimensions, external diameter, 9'00, internal, 4'50. External depth, 2'00, internal, '75. 



Eygs, four in number, elliptical in form, light greenish blue in color, unspotted, but sometimes overwashed with whit- 

 ish. Dimensions from l'lOx'75 to l'30x'85. 



HABITS. 



One of the most remarkable trees in North America is the mangrove which grows so 

 abundantly along the Gulf of Mexico, extending up the east coast of Florida as fur as Mos- 

 quito Inlet. It is a tree of the tropics and cannot endure the slightest frost; thus those 

 which occur north of Cape Cannaveral are of stunted growth as they are occasionally froz- 

 en for, during exceptionally cold winters, the biting influence of the Frost King is felt 



