CUCULIDA. — CLVII. 265 
Orver XLII COCCYGES. (Tue Cuckoo-tixe Birps.) 
This order includes the majority of the Picarian birds, some 15 
families, not having very much in common, except that they lack 
the special peculiarities of the Pici and the Macrochires. “The 
sternum is usually notched behind; the syringeal muscles are two 
pairs at most.” Feet generally short, the toes variously arranged. 
Palate desmognathous. The group is “a mixed lot requiring to 
be reconstructed by exclusion of some of the families entering into 
its composition.” (Coues). (xdkxv§, cuckoo.) 
Families of Coccyges. 
uw. Toes 2 in front, 2 behind; bill as long as head, compressed, the tomia en- 
tire; nostrils exposed; no rictal bristles; toes cleft to base. 
z CucuLips, 157. 
aa. Toes 3 in front, 1 behind; bill straight, longer than head; feet syndactyle, 
the outer and middle toes grown together for half their length; tarsus 
very short. « » 6 © © «© © «© «© « + + « ALCEDINIDA, 158. 
Famity CLVII CUCULIDAS. (THE Cuckoos.) 
Bill compressed, lengthened, without rictal bristles or nasal 
tufts. Tongue not extensible. Tarsus long, nearly naked; toes 
not webbed. Feet zygodactyle, by reversion of fourth toe. Spe 
cies about 200, in various parts of the world. (Lat., cuculus, 
cuckoo.) 
a. Tail feathers 10; bill gently curved; plumage blended; arboreal. 
Coccyzus, 439. 
439, COCCYZUS Vieillot. 
839. C. americanus (L.). YELLOW-BILLED Cuckoo. “Rarn 
Crow.” Color lustrous drab; bill yellow below; wings with much 
cinnamon red; middle tail feathers like the back; outer ones black, 
with broad white tips. L.12. W.54. T.6. N. Am. 
840. C. erythrophthalmus (Wilson). BLAcKk-BILLED CucKoo. 
Lustrous drab; bill chiefly black; wings with little or no reddish ; 
tail feathers all brownish, obscurely whitish at tips. L.11}. W. 
5. T. 64. E.N.Am., more common E. (épvépds, red; épOadpés, 
eye.) 
Famity CLVIII. ALCEDINIDAS, (Tue Kinerisuers.) 
Head large; bill long, straight and strong, usually longer than 
head; gape deep, tomia not serrate. Wings long; tail short. 
Legs quite small; feet syndactyle, — the outer and middle toes 
united half their length, with a continuous sole beneath; tibia naked 
below. Tail feathers 12. Species about 100, chiefly of the tropical 
parts of the Old World and Australia. Many of them feed upon 
fishes, and nearly all are remarkable for their brilliant metallic 
