Bird Life in a Suburban Parish 



133 



to Cioatsiic'kcr." Tliis is due to one of tliose mistaken and 

 utterly exploded ideas which used to be so common in natural 

 history, tit only to rank witli tlic metamorphosis of Barnacle- 

 2'eese fi-oni barnacles, and other ridiculous fables, wliich have 

 been gra^'ely described and even illustrated by professed eye- 

 witnesses. 



In the delicate markings and general colour of its plumage 

 the AVryneck resembles the Nightjar. It is, however, a bird 

 of A'cry different habits, being arboreal, like the AVoodpeckers, 

 though not provided with the climbing foot of those birds, 

 or the powerful beak and stiff, pointed tail-feathers. Its 

 habits are somewhat different. Unable to hew out for itself 



Young Cuckoo {Ctuii/iis caitonts) in Hedge-sparrow's Nest. 

 (Below iu an old nest is an egg and dead nestling, presumably ejected by the young Cuckoo). 



