120 CUCULUS CANORUS. 



hearing a trio, with all the native melody of the grove, perform- 

 ed by the Cuckoo, the Nightingale, and the Sedge- Warbler," 



It is frequently seen abroad at early dawn, and sometimes 

 very late in the evening ; while at mid-day you seldom meet 

 with it unless in woods, or perched on a stone in the moors. 

 Is it not then somewhat nocturnal l Then, its mouth is wide, 

 bedewed with a viscid fluid, and the flat form of its palate re- 

 minds you of that of the Goatsuckers and Swallows, as well 

 as of the Owls. Its digestive organs are like those of the for- 

 mer and latter of these birds, and its food is similar, bating 

 mice and birds. It is therefore probable that it takes a part of 

 its prey on wing, more especially in the twilight. 



Now, if we seek for analogies and affinities, we may feel dis- 

 posed to think that Cuckoos are " in their own circle analo- 

 gous"" to what ? — according to Mr Swainson, to the Tenuiros- 

 tres among the Insessores, and to the Rasores or Gallinaceous 

 birds in the series of orders. You will naturally think that 

 their nearest allies are Goatsuckers and Owls ; but if you will 

 have all things by fives or threes you must not scruple to prefer 

 remote to direct affinities when it suits your purpose to do so. 

 - The Grey Cuckoo is not necessarily and therefore not essen- 

 tially a bird of the woods, like a Woodpecker or a Parrot ; 

 nor is it therefore a climber. Its haunts are more especially the 

 open pastures, and although it perches on a tree or a stone, and 

 has feet like a Woodpecker in this one respect that the outer 

 toe is turned backwards, it is not therefore any more a climber 

 than a Thrush or a Swallow, certainly less so than a Siskin 

 or a Redpoll Linnet. But many birds of similar form are de- 

 scribed by authors acquainted with their habits as sylvicolous 

 and as climbing, not indeed in the manner of Woodpeckers, 

 but somewhat like Parrots, that is by grasping the twigs or 

 branches, and young Cuckoos kept in captivity have been ob- 

 served occasionally to employ the same action. The feet of the 

 Cuckoo however do not present the very strong curved claws pe- 

 culiar to the truly climbing birds, or rather to those which are 

 capable of clinging to a perpendicular surface. Some species of 

 this family have the claws elongated and little curved, and 

 having also tarsi of considerable length, are thus enabled to walk 



