272 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 
shorter than outer anterior toe, with claw; small (wing less than 
6.00, tail less than 8.00), and plumage without stripes. 
(39.) Coccyzus. (Page 273.) 
Genus CROTOPHAGA Linnavs. (Page 271, pl. LXXIX., fig. 1.) 
Species. 
Common Cuaracters.—Plumage entirely dull black, the feathers of head, neck, 
and body edged or bordered with dull metallic bluish, greenish, or bronzy; wings 
and tail faintly glossed with metallic bluish or violet. Young, uniform dull sooty 
black. Vest usually on trees (sometimes in reedy marshes), composed of sticks, 
etc., lined usually with leaves. Eggs 5-8—sometimes numerous (evidently de- 
posited by several birds)—dull glaucous-blue, but this usually covered by a super- 
ficial white chalky crust. 
a’, Upper mandible smooth, or with a few transverse wrinkles; length 12.00-15.00, 
wing 5.50-6.00, tail 7.50-8.30. Eggs 1361.02. Hab. West Indies and 
eastern South America; rare or casual in southern Florida and Louisiana, 
and accidental near Philadelphia.................ceseeeeee 383. C. ani Linn. Ani. 
a’. Upper mandible with several distinct longitudinal grooves, parallel with the 
culmen ; length 12.00-14.50, wing 5.50-6.50, tail 7.30-8.30. Eggs 1.23 x .94. 
Hab. Middle America (both sides) from lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas 
and Lower California to Peru. 
384. C. sulcirostris Swans. Groove-billed Ani. 
Genus GEOCOCCYX Waerer. (Page 271, pl. LXXIX., fig. 2.) 
Species. 
Common CuHaracTErs.—Plumage conspicuously striped with dull whitish or 
buffy and bronzed brown, the latter glossed with green; naked skin before and 
behind eye brightly colored (blue, white, and red, or orange) in life. 
a’. Wing more than 6.00, tail more than 11.00; throat and chest light brownish, 
streaked with dusky; above glossy blue-black anteriorly and metallic green- 
ish brown posteriorly, the feathers broadly edged with whitish; lower parts 
whitish, the chest and fore-neck tinged with pale brownish or dull ochraceous, 
and streaked with blackish; tail-feathers (except two middle pairs) broadly 
tipped with white, the outer webs glossy blue-black, the inner webs greenish ; 
length 20.00-24.00, wing 6.50-7.00, tail 11.50-12.00. Nest in bushes or low 
trees, rudely constructed of sticks, grasses, etc. Eggs 2-12, 1.54 x 1.18, ovate, 
white, or buffy white. Hab. Northern Mexico and contiguous portions of 
United States, north to western Indian Territory and Kansas, southern 
Colorado, and California ; Lower California. 
385. G,. californianus (Less.). Road-runner. 
