Class ir. CUCKOO. 233 



infifted on, we muft recommend to our country- 

 men fome attention to thefe feathered guides, 

 who come heaven-taught, and point out the true 

 commencement of the feafon * -, their food being 

 the infedls of thofe feafons they continue with us. 



It is very probable, that thefe birds, or at left 

 part of them do not entirely quit this idand during 

 winter ; but that they feek fhelter in hollow trees, 

 and lie torpid, unlefs animated by unufually warm 

 weather. I have two evidences of their being heard 

 to fing as early as February : one was in the latter 

 end of that month 1771, the other on the fourth 

 1769: the weather in the laft was uncommonly 

 warm; but after that they were heard no more, 

 chilled again as I fuppofe into torpidity. There is 

 an inftance of their being heard in the fummer 

 time to fing at midnight. 



There is a remarkable coincidence between their 

 fono;, and the feafon of the mackerel's continuance 

 in full roe ; that is from about the middle of Jfrily 

 to the latter end of June. 



The cuckoo is filent for fome little time after his 

 arrival : his note is a call to love, and ufed only by 

 the male, who fits perched generally on fome dead 

 tree, or bare bough, and repeats his fong, which 

 he lofes as foon as tlie amorous feafon is over. In 

 a trap, which we placed on a tree frequented by 



* In Sxvederij which is a much colder climate than our own, 

 the cuckoo does not appear fo early by a month. 



Vol. I. R cuckoos 



