Class IL CUCKOO. 235 



foon fo fiiperior. This want in the cuckoo of 

 the common attention other birds have to their 

 young, feems to arife from fome defed in its 

 make, that difables it from incubation ', but what 

 that is, we confefs ourfelves ignorant, referring the 

 inquiry to fome flcilful anatomift. A friend tells 

 me that the ftomach is uncommonly large, even 

 fo as to reach almofl to the vent : may not the 

 prefTure of that in a fitting pofture, prevent incu- 

 bation ? 



This bird has been ridiculoufly believed to change 

 into a hawk, and to devour its nurfe on quitting 

 the neft, whence the French proverb ingrat comme 

 un coucou. But it is not carnivorous, feeding only 

 on worms and infers : it grows very fat, and is 

 faid to be as good eating as a land rail. The 

 French and Italians eat them to this day. The Ro- 

 mans admired them greatly as a food : Fliny * 

 fays, that there is no bird to compare with them for 

 delicacy. 



The weight of the cuckoo is a little more than Descrip. 

 five ounces ; the length is fourteen inches •, breadth 

 twenty-five. The bill black, very firing, a little 

 incurvated, and about two-thirds of an inch long. 

 The irides yellow. The head, hind part of the 

 neck, the coverts of the wings, and thc^ rump are 

 of a dove color ; darker on the htad and paler on 

 the rump. The throat and upper part of the 



* lib, X. c. 9. 



R 2 neck 



