ii6 JOTTINGS ABOUT BIRDS. 



bill is also very uniform throughout the Cuckoo 

 family, and appears to indicate little divergence of 

 habit amongst the species in the manner of obtaining 

 food. 



So far as the group of birds is concerned of 

 which the British Cuckoo is typical, the colours of 

 the plumage are neither very conspicuous nor very 

 gorgeous, but the variation between the young and 

 adult stages is both very marked and complicated. 

 In the adults grays of various shades characterize 

 the upper parts ; on the under parts white pre- 

 dominates. The young are more strikingly coloured, 

 rich brown, buff, and chestnut predominating. 

 These Cuckoos are remarkable for their long and 

 slightly rounded wings, long graduated tail, and 

 short tarsi, which render their movements on the 

 ground laboured and awkward. The difference of 

 colour between the sexes when adult is never very 

 pronounced, and is usually slight. The species in 

 the genus Cuculus are confined entirely to the Old 

 World, where they are practically met with in every 

 portion with the exception of the Arctic regions. 

 Our common Cuckoo is the only species that visits 

 Europe. With the exception of Cuculus canorus, 

 the economy of these Cuckoos is but little known. 

 Migratory habits largely preponderate ; indeed these 



