Birds of Indiana. 825 



the nests of other birds, and eating their eggs, I do not lielieve the 

 charge has been sustained. 



The results of the examinations of 31 stomachs of these birds showed 

 that the contents consisted of 355 caterpillars, 18 beetles, 33 grass- 

 hoppers, 31 sawflies, 14 bugs, 6 flies and 13 spiders; one stomach 

 contained 12 American tent caterpillars; another, 317 fall web worms. 

 (Beal, Farmers' Bulletin, No. 54, U. S. Dept. Agr., p. 6). 



*167. (388). Coccyzus erythrophthalmus (Wils.). 



Black-billed Cuckoo. 



Adult. — Bill, black; tail like the back and tipped with white; under 

 surface of tail feathers, dull white; eyelids, red. Above, uniform olive 

 gray, with bronzy reflections; below, pure white, sometimes with faint 

 tawny tinge on fore parts; wings, with little or no rufous. Jmnut- 

 ture. — Eyelids, yellow, more grayish above. 



Length, 11.00-13.70; wing, 5.12-5.65; tail, 6.25-7.00. 



Range. — America, from Brazil, Amazon Valley to Labrador, Mani- 

 toba and east Assiniboia. West to Rocky Mountains. Breeds from 

 about latitude 35 degrees north. Winters from Florida south. 



Nest, similar to that of C. americanus, but a little better built. 

 Eggs, 2-5, rarely 6 or 7; smaller and darker green than those of last 

 species; 1.11 by .78. 



Summer resident; common northward; much less numerous south- 

 ward, except during migrations, when it is common. It is common 

 north of the Wabash Eiver, and, perhaps, locally farther south. Fol- 

 lowing 1884, Prof. Evermann thought this species became more com- 

 mon than the last in Carroll and Monroe Counties. We have been 

 accustomed to regard this species as a later migrant than the last. 

 Some years it is, others they coine together, and occasionally it is 

 much earlier. I took it at Brookville, April 26, 1892. This is the 

 only record of its arrival in April. In 1893 I did not get it until 

 May 16. In southern Indiana, it may be expected between those 

 dates. In the northern part of the State, the following will give 

 some idea of the date of its first arrival: Lafayette, May 7, 1897; 

 Dekalb County, Sedan, May 11, 1894, May 6, 1895; Waterloo, May 3, 

 1896, May 14, 1897; Laporte, May 9, 1896. 



They leave in August and September, but occasionally one . may 

 be seen well through October. At Chicago, 111., the last was seen 

 September 25, 1895, October 24, 1885; Plymouth, Mich., September 

 20, 1894; Bicknell, Knox County, Ind., September 16, 1894; Greens- 

 burg, September 26, 1896; Warren County, September 33, 1897. 



