66 DICTIONARY OF NAMES OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



There exist many rhyming allusions to the Cuckoo's 

 time of arrival in country-side lore, as for instance : — 

 When the cuckoo comes to the bare thorn, 

 Sell yoitr cow and buy your com : 

 But if she sits on a green bough, 

 Sell your com and buy a cow. 



Another rendering is : — 



When the cuckoo coiues to the bare thorn. 

 Sell your cow and buy your com : 

 But when she comes to the full bit, 

 Sell your com and buy yoiir sheep. 



the inference being that a late spring is bad for cattle and 

 an early spring bad for corn. 



Another sajdng akin to this is recorded in " Notes 

 and Queries " (ser. iii, 5, p. 450) : — 



Cuckoo oats and woodcock hay 



Make a farmer run away. 



the meaning being that if the spring is so backward that 

 oats cannot be so^^"n until the Cuckoo is heard, or the 

 autumn so wet that the aftermath cannot be gathered imtil 

 the Woodcock comes, the farmer is sure to suffer. 



In some parts, April 14th is called " Cuckoo Day," it 

 being thought that the Cuckoo's song is first heard about 

 this day. The date, however, varies in different parts of 

 the country, and according to Dyer it is believed at Tenbury 

 in Worcestershire, that it is never heard till Tenburj^ Fair- 

 day (April 20th), or after Pershore Fair-day (June 26th). 

 In Wales it is considered unlucky to hear the Cuckoo before 

 the 6th of April, but " you will have prosperity for the Mhole 

 of the year if you first hear it on the 28th." 



There are several variants of the following allusion to 

 the time of the familar cuckoo-song, which is, of course, heard 

 at its best during the breeding-period : — 



In April the cuckoo shows his bill ; 



In May he sings all night and day ; 



In June he changes his tune ; 



In July away will he fly ; 



In August go he must. 



Another version of this last that I have heard is as follo^vs : — 

 In flowery May he singeth all the day 

 In leafy June he altereth his tune ; 

 In hot July away he'll fly ; 

 In August go he must. 



Mr. Dyer says that among the Gloucestershire peasants 



it is : — 



The Cuckoo comes in April, 

 Sings a song in May ; 

 Then in June another tune. 

 And then she flies away. 



