COCCTZUS.— PIATA. 527 



west to the Rocky Mountains 9.— Mexico, Vera Cruz {Salle), On^ahdi ^ {Botteri^, 

 Sumichrast^^), Valley of Mexico {Herrera^^^% Acapulco, Dos Arroyos {Mrs. H. 

 H. Smith), Cozumel I. {G. F. Gamier is) ; Guatemala, Duenas {0. 8. & F. B. GJ) ; 

 Costa Rica {v. Frantzius^), Barranca {CarmioV, Zeledon^^), San Jose {Cherrie^^) ; 

 Panama, Lion Hill {M^Leannan^).—^o\i'VK America, from Colombia to Eastern 

 Peru 16 ; Cuba lo and Teinidad i«. 



The distribution of the Black-billed Cuckoo is very similar to that of the Yellow- 

 billed Cuckoo, but it does not occur westwards of the Rocky Mountains, where the 

 large-billed form of the latter bird is found. Its breeding-range extends as far north 

 as Labrador, Manitoba, and Eastern Assiniboia, but it does not, as in the case of 

 C americanus, breed outside the southern limits of the United States. The only island 

 of the "West Indies where it has been observed is Cuba, where Dr. Gundlach says it is 

 very rare, and noted by him in the months of April and May, probably during the 

 northward spring migration i*'. In Mexico we have records of its occurrence from May 

 till November, and some birds probably remain the whole winter. In Costa Rica 

 Mr. Cherrie says it occurs on both coasts, but is very rare ; he secured a specimen on 

 October 1st at San Jose^''. In South America C. erythrojphthalmus does not have 

 nearly so extensive a range as C. americanus, but it has been recorded from Colombia 

 (Bogota), from Northern and Eastern Peru, and from the island of Trinidad, and, like 

 C. americanus, a few individuals have strayed to Europe. 



In its nesting-habits this species resembles C. americanus, the eggs being similar, 

 but rather smaller. 



Subfam. FEmmCOPEAmM. 



Of the sixteen genera which Captain Shelley places in this subfamily only three, viz. 

 Saurothera, Eyetornis, and Piaya, occur in America ; and of these the two former belong 

 exclusively to the larger West-Indian Islands and the Bahamas. Piaya is purely 

 Neotropical, and has a wide range in that region, as stated below. 



The members of this subfamily are arboreal in their habits. The tarsi are short ; 

 the wings short and much rounded ; the tail long and composed of ten soft curved 

 feathers— the flight of the American species being feeble and of short duration. 



PIAYA. 



Piaya, Lesson, Traite d'Orn. p. 139 (1831) ; Shelley, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xix. p. 373. 

 Pyrrhococcyx, Cabanis in Schomb. Reise n. Guiana, iii. p. 713. 

 Coccyzusa, Cabanis & Heine, Mus. Hein. iv. Heft 1, p. 89. 



A purely Neotropical genus, with close allies in the Antilles. The number of species 

 belonging to Piaya is very variously estimated, owing to the views entertained as to 

 the desirability of dividing up the common widely distributed P. cayana. In Central 



