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Genus COCCYZUS. 



Cuculus apud Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. i. p. 170 (1776). 



Coccyzus, Vieillot, Analyse, p. 28 (1816). 



Cureus apud Boie, Isis, 1831, p. 541. 



Erythrophrys apud Swainson, Classif. of B. ii. p. 322 (1837). 



Coccystes apud Keyserling & Blasius, Wirbelth. Eur. p. 34 (1840). 



Coccygus apud Lawrence, Ann. Lye. N.Y. viii. p. 42 (1864). 



The Cuckoos belonging to this genus are inhabitants of the Nearctic and Neotropical Regions, 

 two species having been met with in the Western Palsearctic Begion only as rare stragglers. 

 Not only in structure do they differ materially from the Old- World Cuckoos, but also in habits. 

 They inhabit well-wooded localities, and, though secretive, are not shy. Their flight is not 

 unlike that of Cuculus canorus; and their note is a monotonous and guttural how how how 

 uttered low and plaintively. They feed on insects of various kinds, which they obtain chiefly 

 amongst the foliage of the trees. In their mode of reproduction they differ greatly from our 

 European Cuckoos ; for, although they have been known to deposit their eggs in the nests of 

 other birds, yet, as a rule, they build a slight nest of twigs, which they place on the branch of 

 a tree, and incubate their own eggs. These are oval in shape, devoid of gloss, and pale blue in 

 colour, with a faint greenish tinge. 



Coccyzus americanus, the type of the genus, has the bill as in Cuculus, but longer and more 

 curved ; nostrils basal, rather large, and oval in shape ; wings moderately long, broad, the first 

 quill rather shorter than the seventh, the second nearly equal to the fifth, the third longest ; tail 

 of ten rectrices, long and graduated ; legs rather strong, the tarsus bare, and covered in front 

 with seven scutellse; toes rather slender, two directed forwards and two backwards; claws 

 moderate, curved, acute. 



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