The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-06-30
ABOUT CUCK0oS.

f-ToNluenCe news.
The cuckoo family Is distributed over
the world. In Australia, Asia and Africa.
various islands. Europe and America.
In appearance, plumage and habits OF
nesting, or lack OF such habits, they vary
considerably. In America north OF Mex
leo. nine species OF birds belonging TO
this group are allowed. including the
singular. road-runner or chaparrel cock.
"a ground cuckoo) and the ami.
Two species are common TO Rhode
Island The black-biiled and the yellow
billed, OF which the former is probably
the rarer. They winter I'm Central and
South America. wandering north 10 New
Brunswick and Labrador. arriving In
Rhode Island early In May TO reside with
us until late September. They are about
foot long, slender In build, stealthy
In their motions. and except for their pc
culiar notes, would on account OF the
protective olive drab celor OF the plum
age. be seldom noticed. Their bresats
and under parts are white. their tails are
long and the outer feathers are much
shorter than the middle ones.
In the black-bill, they are slightly
tipped with white. but the white IL much
more marked with the yellow-bill, show
ing best from the under side. The
wings OF the yellow-bill are quite strong
ly colored with cinnamon red and the
under msndible of the beak is yellow,
whence its name.
They are beautiful birds, most useful
to the agriculturalist and worthy OF pro-
lection, especially because they eat
and shade trees, such as the tent cater
pillars that feed on the leaves OF fruit
and shade erees Such as the tent cater
pillar, the tussock moth and the dreaded
gypsy moth. A nest Of tent caterpillars
may often be found prodded fun of
holes, where these birds have been at
work, and the stomachs OF cockoos are
frequently lined inside with a coating
of the hairs. The European cuckoos
as well as some species in other parts OF
the world have long been known to
neglect nesting on their own account and
TO deposit their eggs In the nests of other
and usually smaller birds. Our United
states birds, pursue an opposite course.
building nests. rather rudely constructed
of sticks, moss. grass and leaves,
where they lay from three to Ave
greenish blue eggs. Those OF tho black
bill being a trife smaller and shorter for
the width. These eggs are not laid with
the regularity OF most birds, but at vary
ing and longer intervals, SO that fresh
eggs and those that are INUNDATED. or
even eggs and young birds may be found
In the same nest Cuckoos seem to be
unusually plenty in Providence this year,
at any rate there have been more ques-
tons about them this summer at the
museum in the park, where we have
fine specimens OF both species. both
mounted and in skins. as well as the
nests and eggs
The common cuckoo OF England and
Europe is said TO lay her eggs one at a
time upon the ground, and afterwards
taking them I'm her beak 20 place them
I'm the nests OF sparrows. titlarks and
reed -worblers Her egg somewhat re-
sembles those OF her host, though lar
ger. She may remove some Of the eggs
already there. In any event when the
interloper Is hatched, the big youngster
soon Gusts the rightful tenants and
monopolizes the attention OF It's foster
parents. Tho larger spotted cuckoo OF
South Europe, introduces two or more
eggs into each nest Of larger birds such
as crows and magples.
seems 90 have been cuccu. while later
some OF their ornithologists use cuck-
ow, but cuckoo Is the popular way at
present. The Italian cuculo or cucco. the
French concon and the German kuckuH.
all clearly refer To the notes OF the bird
our birds say koo. koo. kow. along u
tut-tuto and clucks. The name
bird or rain crow, has been apple
other birds, but though II Is applioG D
cuckoos In several places, II is mislead-
lng as the birds are most unlike crows.
and have no relations In particular with
weather conditions
JAMES NJ. souTHwrcK.
Museum OF Natural History. Roger wu-
Hams park