Cuckoo \Cuck"oo\ (k[oo^]k"[=oo]), n. [OE. coccou, cukkow,
         F.
   coucou, prob. of imitative origin; cf. L. cuculus,
         Gr. ????,
   Skr. k?ki?a, G. kuckuk, D. koekoek.] (Zool.)

           A bird belonging to Cuculus, Coccyzus, and
         several allied
   genera, of many species.
   [1913
         Webster]

   Note: The European cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)
         builds no nest
         of its own, but lays its eggs in the nests of other
         birds, to be hatched by them. The American
         yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus Americanus) and the
         black-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus erythrophthalmus) build
         their own nests.
         [1913 Webster]

   Cuckoo clock, a clock so constructed
         that at the time for
      striking it gives forth sounds
         resembling the cry of the
      cuckoo.

   Cuckoo dove
         (Zool.), a long-tailed pigeon of the genus
     
         Macropygia. Many
         species inhabit the East Indies.

  
         Cuckoo fish (Zool.),
         the European red gurnard ({Trigla
  
            cuculus}). The name probably alludes to the sound that
         it
      utters.

   Cuckoo falcon (Zool.), any falcon
         of the genus Baza. The
   
           genus inhabits Africa and
         the East Indies.

   Cuckoo maid (Zool.), the wryneck;
         -- called also cuckoo
         mate.

   Cuckoo
         ray
         (Zool.), a British ray (Raia miraletus).

   {Cuckoo
         spit}, or Cuckoo
         spittle.
   (a) A frothy secretion found
         upon plants, exuded by the
       larvae of certain
         insects, for concealment; -- called
       also {toad
         spittle} and frog
         spit.
   (b) (Zool.) A small
         hemipterous insect, the larva of which,
       living on
         grass and the leaves of plants, exudes this
      
         secretion. The insects belong to Aphrophora,
      
         Helochara, and allied
         genera.

   Ground
         cuckoo, the
         chaparral cock.
      [1913 Webster]