108 



YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO. 



AMERICAN YELLOW-BILLEU CUCKOO. VIRGINIAN 

 CUCKOO. CAROLINA CUCKOO. . COW-BIRD. RAIN-CROW. 



PLATE LVIT. — FIG. I. 



Cuculus Americanus, .... LiNNjEtrs. 



Couyrus Americanus, .... Linnjeus. Jentns. 



Cuculus cinerosus, .... Temminck. 



Cuculus Carolinensis, .... Wilson. 



Eryihroplirys Americanus, . . Swainson. 



The nest is commenced about the end of the first 

 week in May. This species of Cuckoo does build a 

 nest for itself, though of rude construction, and nearly- 

 flat. It is placed on the branch of a tree, and is 

 made of small sticks and twigs, intermixed with weeds 

 and blossoms; Meyer says that it is made of roots 

 and wool. 



The eggs, three, four, or five, generally four in 

 number, are of a uniform greenish blue colour, and 

 of a duly proportionate size. 



This species is said by Audubon occasionally to lay 

 its eggs in the nest of another bird. 



I am indebted to J. R. Wise, Esq., of Lincoln College, 

 Oxford, for the loan of the egg from which the figure 

 is taken. 



