AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 195 



BLACK^BILLED CUCKOO. 



A. O U- No. 388- (CoocyzuS erythropthalmus. 



RANGE. 



North America east of the Rocky Mountains, breeding throughout 

 the United States and in the southern parts of Canada. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Length about 12 in.; tail 6.5 in.; bill, both upper and lower mandibles, 

 black; eyes brown and the naked skin about the eyes red. The entire 

 upper parts are glossy metallic greenish olive and the under parts are 

 white or grayish white. The outer tail feathers are narrowly tipped 

 with white. As is the case with all the cuckoos, this species has two 

 toes in front and two behind. 



NEST AND EGGS. 



The nesting habits of all the cuckoos are practically the same and 

 the nests of the present species cannot be told from those of the yellow- 

 billed variety. They are built in the woods or swamps and usually in 

 thick underbrush. I have generally found them at elevations varying 

 from three to five feet from the ground. The nests are among the 

 most rude of any that attempt to construct them, being very loosely 

 made of twigs and catkins and having practically no hollow to hold 

 the eggs. They lay from three to six eggs having a much brighter 

 bluish green color than those of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo and being 

 smaller. 



HABITS 



One of the most familiar bird notes to be heard on a warm summer 

 day is the "ku-ook, ku-ook, kow, kow, kow" etc. of the Cuckoos. A 

 deep, guttural, and mournful sound that cannot be mistaken for that of 

 any other bird. The notes of the Yellow and the Black-billed varieties 

 are very similar but can usually be distinguished from each other by 

 one who is well acquainted with them, that of the present species being 

 shorter and lower in tone. 



Both species of cuckoos have long been regarded by the ignorant as 

 objects of ill omen and they also appear to be in ill favor with many of 

 the small birds although it is doubtful if they do any harm to the latter 

 in any respect. Eggs of cuckoos have been found in nests of other 

 birds but it is only in exceptional cases for they are not parasites like 

 the European Cuckoo, instead they appear to be quite affectionate to- 

 ward each other and towards their young. 



Their flight is slow and apparently laborious, their short rounded 

 wings making their tail appear longer and more cumbersome than it 



