THE BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO. 301 



nor myself in any part of Georgia, although Wilson, who first distinguished 

 this species, says that Mr. Abbot of Georgia found it there, and was well 

 aware of its being distinct from the yellow-billed species. I met with it in 

 Texas, arriving from the south; and found some individuals in winter, in the 

 central parts of the southern districts of Florida. On the other hand, it is 

 not uncommon in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, and we saw a few in 

 Labrador, amid the clumps of low trees a few miles from the shore of the 

 Gulf in secluded and pleasant valleys. It does not appear that it reaches the 

 Fur Countries, or the Rocky Mountains, as no mention is made of it by Dr. 

 Richardson or Mr. Townsend. 



It being so scarce a species in Louisiana, I have honoured it by placing a 

 pair on a branch of magnolia in bloom, although the birds represented were 

 not shot on one of these trees, but in a swamp near some, where the birds 

 were in pursuit of such flies as you see figured, probably to amuse themselves. 



Black-billed Cuckoo, Cuculus erythrophthalmus, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. iv. p. 15. 

 Coccyzds erythrophthalmus, Bonap. Syn., p. 42. 

 St. Domingo Cuckoo, Coccyzus dominicus, Nutt. Man., vol. i. p. 556. 

 Black-billed Cuckoo, Coccyzus erythrophthalmus, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. i. p. 170; vol. 

 v. p. 523. 



Male, 111, 15. 



From Texas to Nova Scotia, and in the interior to Kentucky. Rather 

 common. Migratory. 



Adult Male. 



Bill as long as the head, compressed, slightly arched, acute, not more 

 robust than that of many Sylvias; upper mandible carinated above, its 

 margins acute and entire; lower mandible carinated beneath, acute. Nostrils 

 basal, lateral, linear-elliptical, half-closed by a membrane. Head and neck 

 of ordinary size. Body rather slender. Feet short and small; tarsus 

 scutellate before and behind: toes two before, separated; two behind, one of 

 which is versatile; the sole flat; claws slender, compressed, arched. 



Plumage blended, soft, slightly glossed. Wings long, the first quill short, 

 the third longest. Tail long, graduated, of ten feathers, which are rather 

 narrow and rounded. 



Upper mandible brownish-black; lower bluish. Iris hazel. A bare space 

 of a deep scarlet tint around the eye. Feet dull blue. The general colour 

 of the upper parts is light greenish-brown. Cheeks and forehead tinged with 

 greyish-blue. Tail-feathers, excepting the two middle ones, tipped with 

 white. Under parts brownish-white. 



Length 11^ inches, extent of wings 15; beak along the ridge f-, along the 

 gap li 



