Fulton. — The Long-tailed Cuckoo. 139 



in concealment, but also perhaps to get another 'nough along- 

 side it, leaving only one side visible and unprotected ? 



In watching the bird this year in the Newington bush I 

 iiave been struck with its Pigeon-like aspect. On leaving a 

 tree it first falls with little wing-motion, but more of a swoop, 

 to about 20 ft. from the ground, and then with a very rapid 

 regular motion of the wings proceeds with incredible speed 

 through the air ; suddenly, v;ith the least little cant to one 

 side, and slight spreading fanwise of the tail, it turns in an 

 instant at right angles to its original course and is off like an 

 arrow in the new direction, with its long tail streaming out 

 behind it; then, with another quick swoop upwards, reaches 

 its perching-place, where, just as it settles with a little flutter, 

 the tail is again slightly fanned. I have the excellent autho- 

 rity of Mr. Elsdon Best for saying that when the Cuckoo is 

 struck at by the Tui he instantly turns over, doubles back, 

 and thus escapes ; this, his Maori informant says, is never 

 seen save when the Cuckoo is attacked in the air by the Tui. 

 The same native says that he has seen as many as five 

 Cuckoos flying slowly in a line, one after another, each one 

 a little higher than the one just preceding it. These birds 

 were evidently migrating; and Mr. Arthur, of Lawrence, gives 

 the same curious piece of information, "I have seen them 

 high in the air, as if arriving or leaving for long flight. The 

 flight is not nearly so fast then, the wings not being moved 

 so quickly as when amongst trees "(40o). Burroughs says of 

 the American Yellow-billed Cuckoo that "it has certain pecu- 

 liarities that remind one of the Passenger Pigeon ; his eye 

 with its red circle, the shape of its head, and its motions on 

 alighting and taking flight quickly suggest the resemblance, 

 though in grace and speed, especially when on the wing, he is 

 far inferior. His tail is disproportionately long, and his flight 

 among the trees very still, contrasting strangely with the 

 honest clatter of the Pigeon "(38c). 



Many of the larger Cuckoos have extraordinarily long tails, 

 and this has often been pointed out with respect to the Indian, 

 American, European, and Australian birds; so with our own 

 bird the same disproportionate appendage is displayed. Now, 

 there must be something more than mere sexual adornment 

 in this, and it has appeared to me that, as Cuckoos are uni- 

 versally mobbed by other birds, on account of their parasitic 

 habit, the long tail is a protective adaptation of structure — in 

 other words, a " provision of nature " to allow of rapid turning 

 in the air, as an aid in obtaining insect food and as a means 

 of escape from its tormentors. Brehm says of the European 

 Cuckoo that " it will dart round corners with the rapidity of 

 an arrow, between bushes and through branches with the 

 greatest address ; it rarely, however, cares to traverse a large 



