CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 3 I I 



same way." Enlargements from photographs by 

 Mr. J. Peat Millar, of Beith, of a young Cuckoo 

 ejecting the rightful occupant of a nest are to be seen 

 in the Natural History Museum. 



Howard Saunders says, in regard to the number 

 of eggs, " From 5 — 8 are produced by the female in 

 the season ; the same bird sometimes depositing two 

 and even three eggs in a nest." 



The Cuckoo feeds almost entirely on insects, 

 caterpillars, etc. It is a very graceful bird on the 

 wing, and from its general shape and plumage 

 presents some of the characteristics of the Sparrow- 

 Hawk, in mistake for which it is often shot. 



The adult bird in the case was obtained on the 

 Island of Mull, when I was staying at Salen Hotel. 

 The young one is a bird of the year, and had stayed 

 behind till late in September. I was staying at 

 Arthog Hall Hotel, near Barmouth, in the autumn 

 and winter of 1906, and one day when I was out 

 on the mountain side with my little "Collector's gun," 

 I noticed rather a large hawk-like looking bird flying 

 short distances and settlino- on the rocks or grround. 

 I couldn't quite make the matter out till I saw 

 another little bird following it — a Titlark, in fact. 

 Evidently the young Cuckoo had not done with the 

 tutelage of the foster-parent. After some little 

 patience I got a pretty close shot at it from behind a 

 high stone wall, luckily striking it in the head. 



Howard Saunders says that the Cuckoo " ranges 

 almost to the North Cape in Norway ; nearly as 

 far in Russia, and across Northern Asia up to 



