2/0 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



against its side, sinks to the bottom of the nest and, when egg 

 or young roll on to its sensitive back, it at once appears to be 

 attacked by epileptic power, stiffens its legs, stretches out its 

 fcatherless wings, and using them as hands climbs backwards 

 up the rim of the nest. With a final hitch it throws the un- 

 welcome load over and sinks exhausted and inert back into 

 the nest. After a time the murderous instinct passes and any 

 nestlings which are too heavy to have been thrown out are 

 accepted as bed-mates, but as a rule the young Cuckoo gets 

 the nest to itself. With constant wheezy call — c/:z2, c/iz's, chiz — 

 it clamours for food (Plate iii); when larger than its hard- 

 worked foster-parents, they will stand on its back to administer 

 food, and continue their attentions long after it has left the 

 nest. Apparently the voice of the young Cuckoo has com- 

 manding, almost hypnotic power, for other birds than those 

 which have cherished it as a nestling will feed it ; an instance 

 came under my notice of a Cuckoo on a lawn being fed by two 

 Pied Wagtails and a Spotted Flycatcher. The alarm cries of 

 the foster-parents have no effect in silencing its continuous 

 demands. The half-grown young bird, either in or out of the 

 nest, resents interference, and will raise and lower itself on its 

 legs, swell out its feathers until those of the crown rise like a 

 white-rimmed frill above its head, spread its white-tipped but 

 stumpy tail and hiss defiance. It will peck furiously at the 

 human hand, and often at the bird which has just presented it 

 with food. 



In August many of the old Cuckoos depart, but young birds 

 are about until late in September ; occasionally these begin to 

 call before leaving. 1 have notes of one in August and another, 

 heard for over an hour, on September 17. Young in October 

 and November are recorded, and a friend shot one on 

 December 26, but doubtless this bird had been unable to 

 migrate. 



The adult is slate-grey above, with white bars on the inner 



