COCCYZUS AMERICANUS, YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO. 277 



coast record. Early observers gave "Oregon" as a locality which has 

 remained unchecked to date, and, in fact, it is only recently that the 

 California quotations have been confirmed. Before, it rested upon 

 "hearsay," literally, for several persons who thought they heard its cry 

 may have been mistaken, easily enough. In the first place, the hooting 

 of the Burrowing Owl is so similar to the notes of the Eain Crow, that 

 I should have been deceived myself on one occasion had I not been fore- 

 warned by my friend Cooper ; and secondly, as this gentleman observes, 

 the noise made by the Spade-footed Toad (ScapUopus) is also very simi- 

 lar. Specimens have, however, been actually procured by Mr. F. Gruber 

 in Napa Valley. 



The peculiar notes of this bird, sounding like the syllables l-oo-lcoo-lcoo, 

 indefinitely repeated, are probably uttered more frequently during the 

 atmospheric changes preceding falling weather, and have given rise to 

 the name "Eain Crow," by which both our species are universally known 

 to the vulgar. The Yellow-billed is rather the noisier bird of the two, 

 and its voice is more forcible. It is a rather shy and unfamiliar species, 

 inhabiting high, open woods, as well as the large shade-trees of parks 

 and cities, and generally remains high among the branches. When 

 dashing about, in active pursuit of the various large-winged insects that 

 form its chief food, they are conspicuous objects, the metallic olive-gray 

 flashing in the sun, and the snowy under parts contrasting with verdure. 

 But ordinarily they are hidden birds, oftener heard than seen; they 

 pass from one tree to another stealthily, with a rapid, gliding, noiseless 

 flight, and often rest motionless as statues for a long time, especially 

 when crying out, or when they have detected a suspicious object. They 

 court the seclusion of the thickest foliage. Their curiosity is not small, 

 and they may be observed to frequently peer down with inquisitive 

 looks through the dense foliage, trying to make out some unusual object. 

 Although not parasites, like the European species, devoid of parental 

 instinct, they have their bad traits, being'^even worse enemies of various 

 small, gentle birds ; for they are abandoned thieves, as wicked as Jays 

 in this respect, continually robbing birds of their eggs, and even, it is 

 said, devouring the helpless nestlings. 



The nidification is not remarkably peculiar, the nest being like that 

 of a Crow in miniature, composed artlessly of many small sticks and 

 some grass, rather loosely interlaced, and forming a flatfish, unsubstan- 

 tial structure, usually saddled on a large horizontal branch. The eggs 

 are pale greenish, rather broadly oval, measuring about IJ inches long 

 by J in breadth. But the oviposition is very unusual. The fact is, that 

 the bird begins to set as soon as the first egg is laid, and successively 

 deposits the rest at such intervals that a nest may be found with afresh 

 egg in it, another partially incubated, a newly-hatched bird, and one or 

 more young more advanced. I have verified this fact ; but in place of 

 my observations I will give an extract from Audubon, which leaves 

 nothing to be desired : 



"A nest, which was placed near the centre of a tree of moderate size, 

 was reached bj' a sou of the gentleman on whose grounds we were. One 

 of the old birds, which was sitting upon it, left its situation only when 

 within a few inches of the climber's hand, and silently glided off to an- 

 other tree close by. Two young Cuckoos, nearly able to fly, scrambled 

 ofl' from their tenement among the branches of the tree, and were caught 

 by us after awhile. The nest was taken, and carefully handed to me. 

 It still contained three young Cuckoos, all of different sizes, the small- 

 est apparently just hatched, the next in size probably several days old, 

 while the largest, covered with pin-feathers, would have been able to 



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