BIRDS CUCULIDAE — COCCYGUS. 
List of specimens. 
75 
Catal. Sex 
No. 
Fort Cliadbourne, Tex. 
Rio Grande, New Mex . 
Crossing of Pecos 
Ringgold Barracks, Tex. 
Taniaulipas, Mexico 
El Paso, New Mexico. 
Doila Ana, New Mex.. 
Fort Conrad ....do.... 
Fort Thorn do. .. . 
Little Colorado river. . . 
Fort Yuma, California. 
San Diego do. ... 
Los Angelos, California 
Tejon valley do. ... 
San Jose do..., 
Santa Clara do 
Calaveras co do.... 
Sep. 20, 1853 
Aug. 20,1856 
March, 1853 
October, 1853 
Whence obtained. Orig'l 
No. 
Dr. Swift, U. £ 
Major Emory. , 
Captain Pope , 
Major Emory , 
do 
Lieut. Couch. . 
Lieut. Whipple 
Captain Pope . 
Lieut. Whipple 
Dr. Henry, U. S. A.. 
Lieut. Whipple 
Major Emory 
Dr. J. F. Hammond 
Lieut. Trowbridge.. 
Dr.W.S.King,U.S.A, 
Lieut. Willi 
.do 
A. J. Grayson 
Dr. J. G. Cooper.. . 
Lieut. Williamson . 
Mr. Clark.. 
Mr. Schott. 
Dr. Kennerly. 
Bill light brown with dark 
ridge and tips ; eyes light 
brown, with light blue 
iris ! (pupil); feet, light 
blue ; gums, pink. 
Bill light blue, with dark 
tips ; feet, whitish blue ; 
eyes, light brown; gums, 
pale blue. 
Feet, gray; eyes blue; 
gums, white. 
Eyes, brownish gray; bill, 
slate; feet, lead colored. 
Eyes brown, with yellow 
iris ; feet and gums, pale 
blue. 
COCCYGUS, Vieillot. 
Coccyzus, Vieillot, Analyse, 1816. 
Eryth cphrys, Swainson, Class. Birds, II, 1837, 322. 
Head without crest; feathers about base of bill soft; bill nearly as long as the head, decurved, slender, and attenuated 
towards the end. Nostrils linear. Wings lengthened, reaching the middle of the tail ; the tertials short. Tail of ten graduated 
feathers. Feet weak ; tarsi shorter than the middle toe. 
The species of Coccygus are readily distinguished from those of Geococcyx by their arboreal 
habits, confining themselves mainly to trees, instead of living habitually on the ground. The 
plumage is soft, fine, and compact. 
The American cuckoos differ from the European cuckoos, (Ouculus,) by having lengthened 
naked tarsi, instead of very short feathered ones. The nostrils are elongated, too, instead of 
rounded. The habits of the two are entirely different, the American species rearing their own 
young, instead of laying the eggs in the nests of other birds, like the European cuckoo and the 
American cowbird (Molothrus pecoris). 
