BRITISH BIRDS. 8l 



at snaring with the same instrument any fly that chances 

 to alight near it. 



The disposition of the toes is zygodactylous. 



The nest is placed in a hole of a tree, which is lined with 

 various soft substances, and the eggs are w^hite, and six or 

 seven in number, though Morris says as many as nine or 

 ten! 



The young are easily reared with flies and ants' eggs, and 

 become very tame and amusing. 



THE CUCKOO. 



This w^ell-known bird, whose peculiar note has provided 

 a name for it in every country that it frequents, is the only 

 representative in Britain of the 



Fam ily — Cticulidce. 



Genus — Ciiathis. C. canorus. 



Its general colour is greyish blue, and the low^er parts 

 ash colour or rufous brown; but the bell}^ is white, and the 

 vent yellowish ; the wings and tail dark brown, inclining 

 to black ; the breast and vent are covered with numerous 

 black curved lines, and the tail has white tips, and a row of 

 round white spots down the centre of each feather ; the 

 short shanks and long zygodactylous toes are yellow, but 

 the nails are black ; the long, slightly-curved tail is dusky 

 yellow, with a black tip to each feather, and the iris is 

 dull orange ; the wings are long and pointed, and reach to 

 the lower third of the tail. The female is smaller and 

 browner in colour than the male. Length, 13 or 14 inches; 

 tail, 5. 



The cuckoo is migratory, arriving in April and departing 

 from Great Britain in August. 



F 



