470 



XdltTlI AMERICAN BIRD^;. 



TIio AiiKM-icim Cucknos (lifU'r fniin tlio Eiiro))ean (Cnniliis) Ly having 

 leiigtlieiH'il iiiiked tiirsi, instead of very short leathered ones. The nostrils, 

 too, are elongated instead of rounded. Tiie liahils of the two are entirely 



Coccys^is ar.iericanus, 



different, the Arnerican species rearing- their own young, instead of laying 

 the eggs in the nests f»f other birds, like the European Cuckoo and the 

 Anicrieau Cowliird (MD/ofJinm pccorifi). 



The f(jllowiiig synojisis will serve to distinguish the North American spe- 

 cies of C'occ>/i/>i.<i, with tiieir more nearly related southern allies, all of them 

 heing of a light greenish color above, tinged with ashy towards the head : — 



Species and Varieties. 



A. Tiiil-rciitliors oxnopt two iniiliik' ones Ijlaok, with broad, sharply defined 



terminal spaces of while. 



a. Lower maiiililile yellow. 



C. americanwB. lieiieath pure wliitp, witli an asliv .shade arross the 

 JM;/iilinii. Inner welis of ])riniaries mostly rnPons. Anrieular.s nearly 

 ooneolor with the na]ie. Jicntrth, 1'2.(H1 : winjr, 5.4"); tail, 5.04: oul- 

 nien, 1.0(1 ; tarsus. .00. ffah. United Staters (very rare in the West- 

 ern Province), .lamaiea. I'urto Rieo, 



2. C. minor. Beneath oeliraeeous, i;'eiierally ;ialer anterioi'lv. Inner 

 welis dl' pi-imaries wilhont any rul'oiis. .Vnrienlars hlaekish, eon- 

 .<!pi(ni()nsly ilill'erent liom the nape. Lent;lh. 12.00; winir, 5..'i0 ; tail, 

 7.50: irradualiou of tail, 2.75. Tail-spots almut 1.00 lonjr. JM>. 

 West Indies, and Xorthern and Eastern Sonth Anu'riea, Southern 

 Floriila. 

 6. Lower mandilile lilaekish like the npper (pale hlne in life). 



.'!. C. melanocoryphiis.' Colors similar to those of ('. minn); hnt 

 npper parls inoic lii'own. Wino-. 4.50; tail. 5.85; frraihiation oi' the 

 tail, 2.00. Tail-spots ,ibont .50 lonsr. II(il>- Sonth America (Bnenos 

 Ayres, Peru. I,a Plata. C.iyi'nne. etc.). 



' Corq/ifiis iiiifiiii'Horii/iliii.':, ViKli.i.or, Nouv. Di.'t. VIII, 271. — Sci,.vrr,u, Catal. 1802, 323. 

 — hi. P. Z. .'^. l.^^iit, 122. 



