THE CUCKOO AND HIS KINDRED. 117 



birds are popularly associated almost as closely with 

 seasonal movement as the Swallows. For the most 

 part the haunts of the Cuckoos are arboreal ones, 

 and their food is almost entirely of an insectivorous 

 character. None of the Cuckoos possess any 

 musical powers, their notes being deep-toned and 

 resonant, but some are much more discordant than 

 others. The Cuckoos are comparatively weak and 

 defenceless birds, and are a remarkably good instance 

 of Mimicry in nature — of one species copying 

 another in appearance for the sake of enjoying 

 immunity from enemies! The Cuckoos {Cuculus) 

 have cleverly imitated certain Hawks in appearance, 

 and there can be no question that this resemblance, 

 by deceiving predaceous birds, is an enormous 

 advantage. The adult Cuckoo of Europe is re- 

 markably like a Sparrow-Hawk ; whilst the young 

 bear just as striking a resemblance to the Kestrel ! 

 I am of opinion, that in cases where Cuckoos 

 resemble Game Birds in habits and appearance 

 Mimicry has been again adopted. This is espe- 

 cially noticeable amongst species in the genera 

 Centropn.s and Carpococcyx. Another very remark- 

 able instance is the wonderful resemblance of an 

 Indian Cuckoo [Suruicuhis /uguhi's) to the King 

 Crow [Dicninis ater). 



