Plate XIV. 



COOCYZUS AMERICANUS-Yellow-billed Cuckoo. 



The Rain Crow, or Rain Dove, as tliis species is often called, makes its appearance in Southern 

 Ohio abont the first of May. Kost-building begins a few weeks later, and is usually completed by the 

 second Aveek in Jniie; occasionally, however, fresh eggs may be found in July. Seldom more than one 

 brood is hatched. 



LOCALITY: 



Wherever Avoods and undergrowth abouiul, the Yellow-billed Cuckoo may be seen in the nesting 

 season. Timbered ravines and valleys, thickly interspersed Avith the haw, paAvpaw, dogwood and such 

 other low trees as a damp shaded soil produces, Avhere the wild grape, Avild cucumber and columbine 

 grow in luxuriance, are the most frequented resorts. In such a thicket the nest may be built in any 

 clump of foliage tliat offers sufficient support. In more open Avoods the thorn and the blackdiaAV are 

 favorite trees. Occasionally an isolated tree is selected as the building site, and sometimes the bird even 

 deserts the country for the town, Avhere it nests among the branches of the street or lawn trees, or in 

 the shrubbery of the u'-^rden-plot. 



rOSITIOX: 



The nest uiay be jilaced either in a horizontal or perpendicular fork, or upon a number of inter- 

 AvoA-en branches or stems. Sometimes it is built upon a limb of considerable size, and held firmly in 

 position by small branches, twigs, or vine-stems and tendrils about tlie sides. There is, however, no 

 characteristic position. Its usual distance from the ground is betAveen fixQ and ten feet, but sometimes 

 it is near the top of a vine-climbed oak or other forest tree. Nests of very low position are generally 

 located in the main forks of stunted elms. 



MATERIALS : 



Slender dried sticks, sometimes twelve or fifteen inches long, but usually much shorter, and catkins, 



compose the bulk of the nest. The catkins are generally reserved for the lining, but occasionally they 



are mixed in Avith the sticks of the foundation. The lining, so far as I am aware, always consists of 



aments from the oak or some neighboring tree, or blossoms from the Avild grape. The structure, Avhen 



perfect, is little more than a rough platform, loosely Avoven, slightly concave, and lined just sufficiently 



to make an even resting-place for the eggs. Anomalous forms are now aiul then met Avith, but as a 



rule, tlie materials of construction are quite constant. The diameter is difficult to measure, OAving to 



the irregularity of outline. A circle Avith a radius of two inches Avill generally rest upon the top Avithout 



projecting over th^ sides. The depth depends largely upon position ; Avhen in a perpendicular fork, 



it may be three to five inches through the center; Avhen upon a horizontal branch, it may measure as 



little as one inch through the same point. 



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