392 BIRDS — CUCULID^. 



The nest is built either upon a horizontal or in a perpendicular folk of a tree, npon & 

 cluster of small branches, the top of a stump, the stems of the stronger climbing vines 

 or a similar position affording a suitable resting-place, and is always surrounded by 

 thick foliage. 



Its height varies from one foot to about thirty feet, but is rarely, if ever, found 

 directly npon the ground. The nests of low position, are usually built in the perpendi- 

 cular forking of stunted elms, thorns or other small tiees. The higher nests are built 

 among the vines. 



The materials of constniction are sticks, twigs, thorns, grasses, rootlets, strips of bark, 

 blossoms and catkins. 



The sticks are variable in size, and with the thorns form the foundation ; the whole 

 is loosely thrown together and is a minature of the hawk's nest. Catkins of the oak, 

 poplar, etc., or grape blossoms, with grasses, weed fibres and rootlets, form the lining 

 and are often worked into the foundation. Frequently strips of bark, leaves or lichens, 

 are added to the usual twigs, thorns and catkins. 



The complement of eggs is from two to five, usually four. They are of a light bluish- 

 green color when blown, sometimes mottled with a darker shade, and vary exceedingly 

 in shape ; some are elliptical while others only approach that form, and have an aver- 

 age measurement of 1.12 x .83. 



They are usually deposited one every day, but quite an interval may elapse, so that 

 young birds and almost fresh eggs may be found in the same nest. 



The nests and eggs of the Yellow and Black-billed Cuckoos resemble each other 

 closely, and it is not always possible to differentiate the two, Nests of the former are 

 often found which could not not be mistaken for those of the Black-billed on account of 

 the coarseness of the nest, larger size and paler color of the eggs; but the nest and eggs 

 of the lattei* have no characteristics which might not belong to the former. However, 

 as a rule, the nest of C. eryihropMhalmus may be known from that of the C. americanus by 

 the fact that it is constructed with more care, the sticks being somewhat smaller, the 

 catkins less numerous, and the whole woven together in a firmer manner. The eggs are 

 smaller, less elliptical, and of a slightly darker green. There are no nests or eggs of 

 other birds in the limits of the state, with which these may be confounded by any mod- 

 erately careful observer. 



CoccYzus AMERICANUS (L.) Bonap. 



"STellow-billed Cuclioo. 



Coceyzus americanus, Kirtland, Ohio Geolog. Surv., 1838, 162. — Read, Proc. Phila. Acad. 



Nat. Soi , vi, 1853, 395. — Wheaton, Pood of Birds, etc., Ohio Agric. Rep. for 1874, 



1875, 569 ; Ref)rint, 9.— Langdon, Cat. Birds of Cin., 1877, 11.— Jones and Shhlzb, 



Illust. Nest and Eggs, Pt. 5, PI. 14. 

 Coccygua amerioamus, Kirkpatrick, Ohio Farmer, ix, 1860, 179. — Wheaton, Ohio Agric. 



Rep. for 1860, 1861, 361, 371 ; Reprint, 3, 13. — Langdon, Revised List, Journ. Cin. 



Soc. Nat. Hist., i, 1879, 178 ; Reprint, 12 ; Summer Birds, ib , iii, 1880, 225. 

 Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Ballou, Field and Forest, iii, 1878, 136. 



Cuoulus americanus, LiNNiEus, Syst. Nat., i, 1766, 170. 

 Coocyzus americanus, Bonaparte, Obs. Wils. 1825, No. 47. 

 Coccygus americanus, Cabanis, J. f. O., 1856, 104. 



Above as in the last ; below pure white. Wings extensively cinnamon rufous on in- 

 ner webs of the quills. Central tail feathers like the back, the rest black with large 



