ISCi N'oKTII A.MEItlCAN UIUDH. 



tliiit (if tlin Yollnw-bill. It is wim]nisc(l of twij^s, roots, fimi strips ot ])ark, 

 uiiil moss, 1111(1 is soiiictiiiics iutcrwovi'ii mid inirlially iiiicil with tins soft cat- 

 kins of trws and iilossoias of i)lants. Tlio oj,',ns vary from llireo to six in mun- 

 l)er, and an! oftiui found to liavn liocii dciiositi'd, and in(nil)atioii conimonccd 

 on tliciii, at irroj^iilar intervals, and to iio in various staycs of dc-vidoimu'iit 

 in tliu sauiu nust. I iiavo iiardly been alilc to olisurvo a sullifiunt iiuinlior 

 of their nests to be able to state wliether this species carries this irregularity 

 so far as the Vcllow-bill, nor am f aware that it has ever liccn known to 

 extend its incubations into so late a period of tlie season. It is, if anything, 

 more devotcul to its ollspring than the Vellow-iiill. Hoth parents are as- 

 siduous in the duties of incubation, and in siijijilying food to each other and 

 to tlieir ofl'spring. In one instance, where the female had been sh(3t by a 

 tiiouj;htless boy, as she flew from the nest, the male bird successfully devoted 

 himself to the solitary duty of rearing the brood of iive. At the time of 

 the death of the female the nest contained two eggs and three young birds. 

 The writer was ])resent wh(!n the bird was shot, and was unable to interi)o.se 

 in season to prevent it. lieturning to the spot not long afterwards, he I'ound 

 the widowed male sitting uj)on the nest, and so unwilling to leave it as 

 almost to jiermit himself to be captured by the hand, llis fidelity and his 

 entreaties wisre not disregarded. His nest, eggs, and young, were left undis- 

 turbed ; and, as they were visited from time to time, the young nestlings 

 were found to thrive under his vigilant care. The eggs were hatched out, 

 and in time the whole five were reared in safety. This single incident 

 shows how wide is the interval between these Cuckoos and their European 

 namesakes. 



The egg resembles that of the other, but is more spherical and of a much 

 darker shade of green. The color is equally fugitive, and even in a close 

 cabinet fades so that the eggs of the two .species are undistinguishable, ex- 

 cept in size and shape. This egg averages 1.10 inches in length by .'JO of 

 an inch in breadth. 



Genus CROTOPHAGA, Linnaeus. 

 Crotophar/a, Linn^us, Sy.stema Nnturic, 175t). (Type, C. ani, Linn). 



Ge.v. Char. Bill a.* lonp ns the lioarl. very much comprcs.sod ; the cnlinon clov.itod into 

 ft high crest, extending alinvc the level of the forehead. Nostrils exposed, elongated. 

 Point of liill inucli decurved. Wings longtliened, extending heyoiid the ba,se of the tail, 

 the fouitli or lifth ([uill longest. Tail lengthened, of eight graduated feathers. Toes long, 

 with well-developed claws. 



The feathers in this genus are entirely black ; those on the head and neck 

 ■with a peculiar stifiened metallic or scale-like border. The species are not 

 numerous, and are entirely confined to America. 



Of Crotophaija, two species have heretofore been recognized in the United 



