CUCULID.E. 



347 



hungry claimants. With this exceedingly selfish 

 object in view^ the young Cuckoo begins operations 

 by gently insinuating his tail under the body of one 

 of the young birds^ which he then^ with the assistance 

 of his wings, contrives to hoist upon his back. With 

 his load properly poised, the young Cuckoo goes 

 backing until he reaches the edge of the nest, when, 

 with a sudden jerk, he throws it out to perish. The 

 other birds soon follow, and he then betakes himself 

 to the unhatched eggs, which are disposed of in the 

 same way. 



The type of this sub-family, — 



The Common Cuckoo {Cuculus canorus), is with us only 

 a summer visitant ; it arrives about the beginning of 

 April, and during the whole of its sojourn in this country 

 leads a wandering life, building no nest, and attaching 

 itself to no particular locality. , 



