BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO. I7I 



where the birds were in pursuit of such flies as you see figured, probably 

 to amuse themselves. The Magnolia has already been presented to 

 your view in another plate, where it was figured in seed. Here you have 

 it arrayed in all the beauty of its splendid blossoms. 



CoccYzusERYTHHOPHTHALMUs, Ch. BotMp. Sjnops. of Birds of United States, p. 42. 

 Black-billed Cuckoo, Cuculus ekythkophthalma, Wils. Amer. Omith. vol. iv. 

 p. 15. PL xxviii. fig. 2. 



Adult Male. Plate XXXII. Fig 1. 



Bill as long as the head, compressed, slightly arched, acute, not more 

 robust than that of many Sylvias ; upper mandible carinated above, its 

 margins acute and entire ; lower mandible carinated beneath, acute. 

 Nostrils basal, lateral, linear-elliptical, half-closed by a membrane. Head 

 and neck of ordinary size. Body rather slender. Feet short and small ; 

 tarsus scutellate before and behind ; toes two before, separated ; two be- 

 hind, one of which is versatile ; the sole flat ; claws slender, compressed, 

 arched. 



Plumage blended, soft, slightly glossed. Wings long, the first quill 

 short, the third longest. Tail long, graduated, of ten feathers, which are 

 rather narrow and rounded. 



Upper mandible brownish-black ; lower bluish. Iris hasel. A bare 

 space of a deep scarlet tint around the eye. Feet dull blue. The gene- 

 ral colour of the upper parts is light greenish-brown. Cheeks and fore- 

 head tinged with greyish-blue. Tail-feathers, excepting the two middle 

 ones, tipped with white. Under parts brownish-white. 



Length 11^ inches, extent of wings 15 ; beak along the ridge |^, 

 along the gap 1;^. 



Adult Female. Plate XXXI L Fig. 2. 



The female differs very Uttle in external appearance from the male, 

 and is nearly of the same dimensions. 



The Great MAGNOiiiA. 



Magnolia grandiflora, Wild. Sp. PI. vol. ii. p. 1255. 



This plant has already been described at p. 28, the ripe fruit having 

 been represented in Plate V. 



