YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO 143 



sionally found as far south as Georgia. Its color 

 is splendid, as if brought from the tropical jun- 

 gle, rich orange, with black wings and tail. The 

 nest is one of the most remarkable in the bird 

 world — a deep pouch-like hammock woven of 

 vines, stems, strings, and grass, swung from a 

 bough, the entrance being in the side. The song 

 is even sweeter and richer than that of the 

 Orchard Oriole. 



YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO 



No drawing that I have seen gives a true idea 

 of the grace and beauty of this well-known bird, 

 which is, however, much more often heard than 

 seen. Its long, slender "streamlines" are built 

 for silent gliding through the treetops. The 

 general color is a dusky olive brown, and the 

 whole breast and underparts are of that color 

 which in birds we call white, but which is really 

 a lustrous pearly tint impossible to reproduce in 

 paint. On each wing is a concealed beauty-patch 

 of bronze or rufous, seen only as the larger 

 feathers are spread to reveal its dull glow. The 

 long tail feathers are tipped with white, showing 

 from beneath like a series of thumb prints. The 

 foot is peculiar in having two toes pointing for- 

 ward and two back; a short, stout member, able 

 to take a strong clutch on twigs and branches. 



Eaincrow we call him, when on summer days 



