MANGROVE CUCKOO. 391 



proved to me the great affection which they have towards their eggs. Their 

 flight is much like that of the other species described by me, perhaps only 

 more rapid and elevated when they are proceeding to some distant place. 



CoccYzus Seniculus, Nuttall, Manual, part i. p. 558. 

 CucuLus Seniculus, Lath. Index Ornith. vol. i. p. 219. 

 Mangrove Cuckoo, Lath. Synops. vol. ii. p. 537- 



Adult Male. Plate CLXIX. 



Bill as long as the head, broad at the base, compressed, slightly 

 arched, acute ; upper mandible carinated above, its margins acute and 

 entire ; lower mandible carinated beneath, acute. Nostrils basal, lateral, 

 linear-elliptical, half-closed by a membrane. Feet short ; tarsus covered 

 with a few large scutella, which extend around it and meet behind ; toes 

 two before, separated ; two behind, one of which is versatile ; their under 

 surface broad and flat ; claws slender, compressed, arched. 



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

 short, the third and fourth longest and equal ; primaries tapering, second- 

 aries broad and rounded. Tail very long, graduated, of ten feathers, 

 which are broad and rounded. 



Upper mandible brownish-black, lower mandible yellow at the base, 

 blackish on the margin and at the end. Iris hazel. Feet greyish-blue. 

 The general colour of the upper parts, including the wing-coverts and 

 two middle tail-feathers, is light greenish-brown, the head tinged with 

 grey ; primary quills umber-brown ; tail-feathers, excepting the two 

 middle ones, brownish-black tipped with white, the outer more largely. 

 The lower surface brownish-orange. 



Length 12 inches, extent of wings 15 ; bill along the ridge 1, along 

 the edge \\ ; tarsus l^'g, longest toe l^. 



The Female resembles the male, but is somewhat paler, especially on 

 the lower surface, which is tinged with grey. 



The Seven Years' Apple, Catesby, plate 59. 



The plant, on a twig of which I have represented the Mangrove 

 Cuckoo, is found on all the Florida Keys, and at times is seen growing 

 in large patches on the mud flats that exist between the outer islets and 

 the mainland. The leaves are thick, glossy above, furred, and of a dull 

 brown colour beneath. 



