94 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 
A. Upper mandible not movable nor hinged. Tarsus with transverse scutellse. 
Bill without a naked skin, or cere, at the base ; lower mandible much longer 
than deep, the end not truncated. 
a. Tongue short, and not extensible ; not barbed at the point. 
Bill hooked or curved at tip ; not constructed for hammering. No 
nasal tufts. (Page 94.) Cuculidce. 
b. Tongue long and cylindrical, and generally capable of great extension ; 
barbed at the point. 
Bill not hooked, but nearly straight ; strong, and constructed for ham- 
mering. Thick nasal tufts at base of the bill (except in the Nudinares). 
(Page 95.) Picidce. 
B. Upper mandible movable or hinged. Tarsus without transverse scutellae. 
Bill with a naked skin, of cere, at the base ; lower mandible not longer than 
deep, its end truncated. 
c. Tongue short and thick, fleshy. 
Bill enormously large, much curved, the upper mandible hooked, both 
g much arched. (Page 100.) l Psittacidce. 
™ Family CUCULIDiE. — The Cuckoos. 3 
Char. Bill compressed, usually more or less lengthened and with decurved culmen. 
Rictal bristles few or none. Nostrils exposed, no nasal tufts. Tail long and soft, of 
eight to twelve feathers. Toes in pairs, deeply cleft or not united, the outer anterior toe 
usually versatile, but directed rather laterally than backward. Eyes brown or hazel. 
Coccyginae. Face covered with feathers ; bill elongated, more or less 
cylindrical, straight or curved. Tail of ten feathers. 
Bill about the length of the head, or not longer ; curved. Loral feath- 
ers soft. Legs weak, tarsus shorter than the toes. Arboreal. Nest on 
trees. Eggs bluish-green, without calcareous coating. (Page 95.) . Coccygus. 
Bill longer than the head ; straight. Loral feathers stiff, bristly. Tarsi 
much longer than the toes. Terrestrial. Nest near the ground. Eggs 
white. (Page 94.) Geococcyx. 
Crotophaginae. Face naked. Bill much compressed, with a sharp crest. 
Tail of, eight feathers. 
Bill shorter than and nearly as high as the head. Nest very large ; 
near the ground. Eggs greenish-blue, with white chalky coating, easily 
removed when fresh and revealing the blue beneath. (Page 95.) . Crotophaga. 
3 Subfamily COCCYGINiE. . 3 
“ Genus GEOCOCCYX, Wagler. (Page 94.) JJJ 
G. californianus. Feathers above bronzed-brown and green ; nearly all 
with opaque white edges; beneath white, with black streaks on the sides of 
neck and breast; the feathers with broad white tips. Length, 20.00; wing, 
6.50; tail, 12.00. 
Bill above, about 2.00 ; gape nearly straight to near tip ; nostril behind 
middle of gape. Feathers of throat and upper part of breast light brownish, 
with shaft-streaks of black. Hah. Southwestern United States, from 
Cape St. Lucas and Southern California to Texas. ( Chaparral Cock.') 
C, californianus. 
