108 BRITISH BIRDS. 



this possible ; several eggs are placed in this way in 

 different nests. Eggs vary from greenish-white to pale 

 rufous-grey, spotted and mottled closely or otherwise with 

 olive-brown or rufous-brown ; sometimes of a pale un- 

 spotted blue ; size -90 by 75. Owing to amount of food 

 necessary for its own development the young Cuckoo 

 invariably ejects its foster-brethren from the nest ; it is 

 said that this occurs when it is 9 or 10 days old, but in 

 my experience it takes place about the third day, when 

 the Cuckoo is both blind and naked. 



GENUS LXXIII. COCCYSTES, Gloger (1834}. 



148. Coceystes glandarius (Linn.). GREAT SPOTTED 

 CUCKOO. 



Hab. S.W. Europe and North Africa. 



Has occurred once in Co. Galway, Ireland, March, 1842, 

 and once on the Tyne, August, 1870 ; the first example is 

 in Trinity College Museum, Dublin, and the second in the 

 Newcastle Museum. 



GENUS LXXIV. COCCYZUS, Vieillot (1816). 



147. Coeeyzus amerieanus (Linn.). YELLOW-BILLED 

 CUCKOO. 



Hab, America, from Canada southward to Brazil. 

 Migrating from northern portions in winter. 



Several authorities have doubted whether this is a 

 genuine visitor, but as its occurrences have all been at 

 the season of autumn migration, and have -also been in 

 the quarters where a genuine visitor is most likely 

 to occur, it seems desirable to retain it here. It has 

 occurred twice in Ireland (in Cork and Wicklow), once in 

 in Cornwall, once in Pembrokeshire, and once near 

 Aberystwith. 



