Part 97

Bill black; margin of the eye blue, before and behind bright red; upper parts light greenish-brown; lower parts silvery-white, the breast and sides faintly tinged with yellow; quills with the inner webs pale buff toward the base; tail-feathers like the back, tipped with white.

Male, 11-1/2, 15.

From Texas to Nova Scotia, and in the interior to Kentucky. Rather common. Migratory.

Black-billed Cuckoo, Cuculus erythrophthalmus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 15.

Coccyzus erythrophthalmus, Bonap. Syn. p. 42.

St. Domingo Cuckoo, Coccyzus dominicus, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 556.

Black-billed Cuckoo, Coccyzus erythrophthalmus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 170; v. v. p. 523.

280. 3. Coccyzus Seniculus, Lath. Mangrove American Cuckoo.

Plate CLXIX. Male.

Upper mandible, and the tip and edges of the lower black, the rest yellow; upper parts light greenish-brown, with a tinge of grey on the head; lower parts brownish-orange; inner webs of quills uniform with the rest; middle tail-feathers like the back, the rest brownish-black, tipped with white, that colour gradually enlarging to the outer.

Male, 12, 15.

Florida Keys. Common. Migratory.

Mangrove Cuckoo, Coccyzus Seniculus, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 558.

Mangrove Cuckoo, Coccyzus Seniculus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 390.

FAMILY XXVIII. PSITTACINÆ. PARROTS.

Bill short, bulging, very strong, deeper than broad, convex above and below; upper mandible cerate at the base, its outline decurved, the sides convex, the edges sharp, with an angular process, the tip trigonal, decurved, elongated, acute; lower mandible with the angle short and wide, the tip thin-edged, rounded, or abrupt. Nostrils basal, round, open, in the cere. Head very large; neck of moderate length; body compact. Feet short and robust; tarsus short, scaly; toes stout, the outer directed backwards, the third and fourth coherent at the base. Claws stout, curved, acute. Plumage generally blended, but firm. Wings and tail various. Tongue short, fleshy, rounded, or emarginate; œsophagus wide, with a large crop; stomach small, muscular; intestine of moderate length; cœca small; cloaca globular.

GENUS I. CENTURUS, Kuhl. PARRAKEET.

Bill short, very strong, bulging; upper mandible with the dorsal line decurved, the sides convex, the edges ascending at the base, then direct, with a deep notch, the tip decurved, acute; lower mandible very deep at the base, with the dorsal line convex and ascending, the tip sharp-edged and truncate. The nostrils basal, round. Feet short, stout; tarsus very short; toes of moderate length, stout; claws strong, curved, acute. Plumage blended, compact on the wings, which are long and pointed, with the second quill longest. Tail long, cuneate.

281. 1. Centurus Carolinensis, Linn. Carolina Parrakeet.

Plate XXVI. Male, Female, and Young.

Fore part of the head and cheeks bright carmine, that colour extending over and behind the eyes, the rest of the head and neck pure bright yellow; upper parts emerald-green, with light blue reflections, lower parts lighter; edge of wing yellow, primary coverts deep bluish-green, secondary coverts yellowish-green; quills with the inner webs dusky, the outer yellow at the base, blue toward the end; tail green; tibial feathers yellow, the lowest bright red. Young with the head green.

Male, 14, 22.

South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, and up the Mississippi to Kentucky. Abundant. Resident.

Psittacus carolinensis, Linn. Syst. Nat. v. i. p. 141.

Carolina Parrot, Psittacus carolinensis, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 89.

Psittacus carolinensis, Bonap. Syn. p. 41.

Carolina Parrot, Psittacus carolinensis, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 545.

Carolina Parrot, Psittacus carolinensis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 135.