AS the cucUoos are shy, they may not allow you to approach neat enough 
to see their bills distinctly. In general the yellow-b.lled .s lighter 
1 than his black-billed cousin. He has also conspicuous wh.e sp s 
"thumb marks," on his tail, while the wh.te spots on the ta.l of 
black-billed are small. 
The cuckoos are very beneficial, as in summer time their food con- 
sists largely of tent caterpillars, consuming more of these pests than any 
other of our birds. Nests of these pests may be seen punctured with 
holes made by the cuckoo's bill. Such an abundance of hairy caterpillar, 
do the cuckoos consume that often the lining of their stomachs is found 
to be permeated with the hairs. Fortunate are the orchards and shade 
trees that are visited by the cuckoos. 
BELTED KINGFISHER— (Ceryi(; alcyon.) 
Male, upper parts bluish gray with many white bands and spots on 
the short square tail, and the long pointed wings; throat wh.te^ this co or 
passing on to the sides of the neck and nearly meeting on the back of the 
neck- under parts white with a blue belt around the breast; a long 
bristling crest; bill longer than the head, stout, straight and sharp^ 
Female, similar to the male but the sides, and the band on the belly 
rufous. 
Length about thirteen inches. 
13 
