140 Transactions. — Zoology. 



space at a time "(12a). Bendire says of the American 

 Cuckoo, " It can dart at full speed tiirough trees, between 

 boughs, and round corners as quickly as though in clear open 

 space "(38|. Mr. Arthur, speaking of our own bird, says that 

 " its flight is rapid, and that it usually flies in a direct line 

 from point to point without any turning, unless pursued 

 by a Tui, when it can turn amongst trees at an amazing 

 speed "(38&). This long tail may be of service if spread fan- 

 wise during the long flight, enabling the Cuckoo to rest its 

 wings by soaring for a time, and that it is fanned on alighting 

 I have already mentioned ; but to my mind the " steering- 

 oar " is its main function. The Sparrow-hawk, which it 

 greatly resembles, spreads his fan when soaring in the air(20), 

 though his tail is not nearly so long in proportion to the size 

 of the bird, but he has the faculty of very rapid wing-motion 

 and quick steering for matters of ofi'ence ; and in the same way 

 the Long-tailed Goatsuckers of Africa utilise their tails when 

 on the wing after small insects(12a). The beautiful little 

 Fantails, of our own Islands, also show the same marvellous 

 turning and doubling in the air, and m their case undoubtedly 

 utility is as much the cause of their wonderful appendage as is 

 mere sexual adornment. 



Our Kohoperoa being semi -nocturnal, like the Cuckoo 

 elsewhere, is noiseless in its flight, and this is, no doubt, 

 the main reason for the success the female achieves in 

 getting her eggs into the nests of other birds. So far as I 

 can find, no one has been fortunate enough to witness this, 

 though it is undoubted that it must take place during the 

 day-time, when the builders are absent or have been driven 

 from the nest. Many eggs must be lost in attempts at 

 deposition, a large number probably swallowed or broken 

 by their owners, others dropped on the ground. From what 

 I hear of strange eggs in imported birds' nests, it is likely 

 that the Cuckoo is now beginning to make use of them as 

 homes for her young, though tlie Robin, Canary, and Tom- 

 tit, less frequently the Tui and Mocker, are the best-known 

 sufferers. 



The following is a list of reputed foster-parents and of 

 birds which have been seen feeding the Cuckoo, with name 

 of observer : — 



Gerygone flaviventris. Egg not described taken from nest. 

 W. W. Smith. 



Gerygone flaviventris. Bird seen feeding young Cuckoo. 

 Buller and others. 



Myioiiioira alhijrous. A round egg, deeper in colour than 

 the one in the Christchurch Museum. Smith. From 

 tliis egg hatched out in due course the Long -tailed 

 Cuckoo. 



