YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO. 433 



The male, however, frequently betrays his snug retreat by his 

 monotonous and guttural kow kow kow kow, or koo koo koo 

 koo, and ko kuk, ko kuk, koo koo koo kuk, koo ko koo, koo 

 ko koo, uttered rather low and plaintively, like the call of the 

 Dove. At other times the kow kow kow, and 'tk 'tk 'tk 'tk 

 'tdk, or 'kh 'kh 'kh 'kh 'kah kow kow kow kow, beginning 

 slow, rises, and becomes so quick as almost to resemble the 

 grating of a watchman's rattle, or else, commencing with this 

 call, terminates in the distant cry of kow kow kow. From this 

 note, supposed to be most clamorous at the ^approach of rain, 

 it has received in Virginia and other States the name of Rain- 

 Crow and Cow-Bird. At various seasons during the contin- 

 uance of warm weather the vigil kow kotv kow kow of the 

 faithful male is uttered for hours at intervals throughout the 

 night. The same notes, but delivered in a slower and rather 

 tender strain, are given with great regularity likewise in the 

 day as long as the period of incubation continues. He often 

 steadfastly watches any approach to the nest, going to it occa- 

 sionally to assure himself that it is unmolested ; and at times 

 he may be observed darting even at the dormant bat, who 

 accidentally seeks repose beneath the shady leaves of some 

 contiguous tree, so that he is no less vigilant in seeking the 

 security of his own progeny than in piratically robbing the 

 nests of his neighbors. There are two or three other species 

 in Jamaica and other parts of tropical America possessing a 

 note very similar to that of our bird, which also frequently 

 approaches, when delivered in the plaintive mood, koo koo and 

 koo koo koo, the usual sound of the European Cuckoo. There 

 is a Mexican species ( Cuculus ridibundus) which so simulates 

 laughter as to have excited the superstition of the natives, 

 by whom it is hated as a messenger of evil, its accidental 

 note of risibility being construed into an ominous delight in 

 misfortune. 



The whole tribe of Cuckoos are in disgrace for the unnatural 

 conduct of the European and some other foreign species, who, 

 making no nests nor engaging in conjugal cares parasitically 

 deposit their eggs one by one in the nests of other small birds, 



VOL. I. — 28 



