400 pltny's natural history. [Book X. 



appearance, and is quite surprised that she has become the 

 mother of so handsome an offspring. In comparison with him, 

 she discards her own young as so many strangers, until at last, 

 when the young cuckoo is now able to take the wing, he 

 finishes by devouring ^^ her. For sweetness of the flesh, there 

 is not a bird in existence to be compared to the cuckoo at this 

 season. 



CHAP. 12. (10.) THE KITE. 



The kite, which belongs to the same genus, is distinguished 

 from the rest of the hawks by its larger size. It has been re- 

 marked of this bird, extremely ravenous as it is, and always 

 craving, that it has never been known to seize any food either 

 from among funereal oblations or from the altar of Jupiter at 

 Olympia ; nor yet, in fact, does it ever seize any of the conse- 

 crated viands from the hands of those who are carrying them ; 

 except where some misfortune is presaged for the town that is 

 offering the sacrifice. These birds seem to have taught man 

 the art of steering, from the motion of the tail, Nature pointing 

 out by their movements in the air the method required for 

 navigating the deep. Kites also disappear during the winter 

 months, but do not take their departure before the swallow. 

 It is said, also, that after the summer solstice they are troubled 

 with the gout. 



CHAP. 13. (11.) — THE CLASSiriCATION OP BIRDS. 



The first distinctive characteristic among birds is that which 

 bears reference more especially to their feet : they have either 

 hooked talons, or else toes, or else, again, they belong to the 

 web-footed class, geese for instance, and most of the aquatic 

 birds. Those which have hooked talons feed, for the most 

 part, upon nothing but flesh. 



CHAP. 14. (12.) GROWS. BIRDS OF ILL OMEN. AT WHAT SEASONS 



THEY ARE NOT INAUSPICIOUS. 



Crows, again, have another kind of food. Nuts being too 

 hard for their beak to break, the crow flies to a great height, 



55 Cuvier denies this story, but says, that when the foster-mother is a 

 very small bird, the young cuckoo will take the whole of her head in his 

 beak when receiving food. 



