( 390 )
T H E M A N G R O V E C U C K O O .
COCCYZUS SENICULUS, NUTTALL.
P L A T E C L X I X . MALE.
A few days after my arrival at Key West in the Floridas, early in
the month of May, Major GLASSEL of the United States' Army presented
me with a specimen of .this bird, which had been killed by one of the soldiers
belonging to the garrison. I had already observed many Cuckoos
in the course of my walks through the tangled woods of that curious
island; but as they seemed to be our Common Yellow-billed species, I
passed them without paying much attention to them. The moment this
specimen was presented to me however, I knew that it was a species unknown
to me, and thought, as I have on many occasions had reason to
do, how vigilant the student of nature ought to be, when placed in a
country previously unvisited by him. The bird was immediately drawn,
and I afterwards shot several others, all precisely corresponding with it.
The habits of the Mangrove Cuckoo I found to be much the same as
those of our two other well known species. Like them, it is fond of sucking
the eggs of all kinds of birds in the absence of their owners, and also
feeds on fruits and various species of insects. It is, however, more vigilant
and shy, and does not extend its migrations northward beyond the
eastern capes of the Floridas, appearing, indeed, to confine itself mostly
to the islets covered with mangroves, among the sombre foliage of which
trees it usually builds its nest and rears its young. It retires southward
in the beginning of September, according to the accounts of it which I
received in the country.
The nest is slightly constructed of dry twigs, and is almost flat, nearly
resembling that of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, which I have already described.
The eggs are of the same number and form as those of that
species, but somewhat larger. It raises two broods in the season, and
feeds its young on insects until they are able to go abroad.
The White-headed Pigeon is frequently robbed of its eggs by this
plunderer, and it is alleged by the fishermen and wreckers that it destroys
the squabs when yet very young, but I saw no instance of this barbarous
propensity. One which had been caught in its nest, and winch I saw
placed in a cage, refused all kinds of food, and soon died. This, however
MANGROVE CUCKOO. 391
proved to me the great affection which they have towards their eggs. Their
flight is much like that of the other species described by me, perhaps only
more rapid and elevated when they are proceeding to some distant place.
COCCTZDS SENICULUS, Nuttall, Manual, part i. p. 558.
CUCULUS SENICULUS, Lath. Index Ornith. vol. i. p. 219.
MANGROVE CUCKOO, Lath. Synops. vol. ii. p. 537-
Adult Male. Plate CLXIX.
Bill as long as the head, broad at the base, compressed, slightly
arched, acute; upper mandible carinated above, its margins acute and
entire; lower mandible carinated beneath, acute. Nostrils basal, lateral,
hnear-elhptical, half-closed by a membrane. Feet short; tarsus covered
with a few large scutella, which extend around it and meet behind ; toes
two before, separated ; two behind, one of which is versatile ; their under
surface broad and flat; claws slender, compressed, arched.
Plumage soft, blended, slightly glossed. Wings long, the first quill
short, the third and fourth longest and equal; primaries tapering, secondaries
broad and rounded. Tail very long, graduated, of ten feathers,
which are broad and rounded.
Upper mandible brownish-black, lower mandible yellow at the base,
blackish on the margin and at the end. Iris hazel. Feet greyish-blue.
The general colour of the upper parts, including the wing-coverts and
two middle tail-feathers, is light greenish-brown, the head tinged with
grey; primary quills umber-brown; tail-feathers, excepting the two
middle ones, brownish-black tipped with white, the outer more largely.
The lower surface brownish-orange.
Length 12 inches, extent of M'ings 15 ; bill along the ridge 1, along
the edge \ \ ; tarsus 1^, longest toe 1 \ .
The Female resembles the male, but is somewhat paler, especially on
the lower surface, which is tinged with grey.
THE SEVEN YEARS' APPLE, Catesby, plate 59.
The plant, on a twig of which I have represented the Mangrove
Cuckoo, is found on all the Florida Keys, and at times is seen growing
in large patches on the mud flats that exist between the outer islets and
the mainland. The leaves are thick, glossy above, furred, and of a dull
brown colour beneath.