172 



THE AMERICAN NATURALIST [Vol. XLI 



the owls (Striges), the Caprimulgine forms (Caprimulgiformes). 

 None of the Coraciee (rollers, etc.) I believe are polygamous, or 

 the kingfishers (Halcyoniformes), or the Bucerotes, or representa- 

 tives of such suborders as the Upupse, the Meropes, the Momoti, 

 or the Todi, but when we come to the humming-birds (Trochili) 

 some authorities still seem to be in doubt, and no less a distinguished 

 ornithologist than Mr. Salvin told Darwin that he was "led to 

 believe that humming-birds are polygamous," ^ but, the present 

 writer by no means entertains any such an opinion. 



Comparatively speaking, very little is known of the courtships 

 and matings of the Jacamariformes (jacamars and puff-birds) 

 and the Trogoniformes (trogons), but I believe none of them to 

 be polygamous in their habits, although if found to be so it would 

 in no way surprise me, on account of the relations of the latter to 

 the cuckoos. 



When I say this I do not mean to imply that any of the cuckoos 

 are strictly polygamous, and no writer seems to be perfectly cer- 

 tain on that point. What the mating habits of the touracos (Muso- 

 phagidie) is like, I am, at this writing unable to say, but it is very 

 interesting and important for us to know. Those who have had 

 opportunity to study them have, as in so many instances in or- 

 nithological history, overlooked all this. The literature upon the 

 nidification of the cuckoos (Cuculida') would make many volumes 

 so it is quite unnecessary' to dwell upon it here. Their depositing 

 their eggs in the nest of other birds is simply parasitism, and for 

 all I know to the contrar}^ the European cuckoo may be the 

 veriest polygamist in the world's avifauna, and the same is true 

 of others of his kin that follow the same practice. It is not likely 

 that these birds are monogamous, it being far more probable that 

 they follow some form of promiscuity, or where there is a scarcity 

 of mal(>s, even ])()lyiin(lrv ? All these remarks likewise apply 

 to oiir (ou hirds ( Molotlini-. i of the rasxTiformrs, birds which I 

 am <|iiit(' sure from pcisoiial Dbscrvatioii may he cither polygamous, 



eastern form, the ruby-throat, nor in any of those I have had the opportunity 

 to study in the west. 



