6fi NOTES OX THE CUCKOO, 



knew was not in the nest before she returned the second time. I may 

 state that coming out of the cellar and going round to the window did 

 not occupy more than thirty seconds. In watching the progress of the 

 young Cuckoo, which in due course, under the fostering care of the Robin, 

 made its appearance, I have seen from the same window a Cuckoo more 

 than once bring food to it. I well remember a Cuckoo carrying food to 

 a young one, some ten years ago, at Kingsbury, in Middlesex. I recollect 

 it well, as it was the first young Cuckoo I had ever seen, and I discovered 

 it by seeing the old one go to the nest with something in its mouth. I saw 

 it go several times, but I afterwards found that the Hedge Sparrow did 

 the most of the feeding. I noticed it particularly, as I had read that the 

 Cuckoo did never feed its own young." — From the "Gardener's Chronicle." 

 This interesting and simple account bears on the face of it the stamp 

 of truth, and must be considered as most conclusive evidence in our favour, 

 (see vol. i. of "The Naturalist," that the female does "cry Cuckoo" and 

 that she does on certain occasions attend to and feed her own young! 

 Some of our readers will no doubt be somewhat surprised at reading the 

 very interesting letter above, as quoted from the "Gardener's Chronicle," 

 when it is remembered that that Journal opened its pages to an impudent 

 denial of my statements, and refused me the means of replying to the 

 writer in its pages. These rather capricious gyrations of the P]ditor of the 

 Chronicle, it is needless to say, mean nothing at all, and no doubt those 

 who read that Journal have long since, like ourselves, ceased either to care 

 for, or wonder at their occurrence. 



To the already many accounts of Cuckoos being seen and heard in this 

 country long after the first week in July, we extract the following from 

 a letter in the "Times," by the Hev. E. H. Thomson, Lyneham Vicarage, 

 Chippenham: — "On Friday, the 28th. September, 1855, a Cuckoo was 

 seen and heard in this parish by two boys, one of them a son of mine. 

 The bird was on the wing, uttering his well-known cry clear and loud, 

 and flying in a north-east direction. The cry of the Cuckoo is considered 

 to cease at the beginning of July." Again, a writer in the eleventh volume 

 of "Notes and Queries," says, "As these birds arrived late, so they seem 

 to take their departure late, — a friend having seen a Cuckoo on the 5th. 

 September, 1855." 



While residing at Taunton, Somersetshire, during the years 1852 and 

 1853, we frequently flushed an adult Cuckoo in the Nurseries there between 

 the hours of nine and twelve, from August 18th, to September the 5th., 

 which on two occasions uttered the cry of "Cuckoo" clear and loud whilst 

 flying from one part of the Nursery to the other, and sorry I am to record 

 that this bird fell a prey to a murderous gun! Here also 1 had the pleasure 

 and satisfaction of again witnessing the feeding of the young by the parent 



