1897-93.] -A Pet Cuckoo. 385 



XI— A PET CUCKOO. 



By Mr GHAELES CAMPBELL. 



(Read April 27, 1898.) 



One day last summer, while in Mr Cochrane's bird-shop in 

 Market Street, Edinburgh, I was surprised to see a cuckoo 

 disporting itself in a cage quite at home. As it has always 

 been a debated question whether a bird with so strong a 

 migratory instinct as a cuckoo could long survive captivity, I 

 was much interested in this specimen, and naturally desirous 

 of knowing something more of its history. There is, of 

 course, a natural feeling against keeping any wild bird in 

 confinement, but, given proper treatment, much that is in- 

 teresting can be learned from them ; and there is surely 

 nothing that can be said against making pets of our own 

 wild birds that does not, in an equal measure, apply to birds 

 imported from abroad. 



In August 1894 there was some correspondence in the 

 ' Scotsman ' as to the late occurrence of the cuckoo in Scot- 

 land, and I then stated I had every reason to believe that in 

 1892 a belated specimen of the cuckoo was seen in the woods 

 of Morven, Argyllshire, as late as December, the weather 

 being then exceptionally mild in that district. Another 

 correspondent wrote saying he did not believe this, and quoted 

 from Mr Speedy 's book, ' Craigmillar and its Environs,' as 

 proving that our climate is incompatible with the existence of 

 the cuckoo in winter. The bird Mr Speedy describes in that 

 book did not survive beyond October, but Mr Cochrane's pet 

 has already survived two winters. In the cold weather it is 

 taken from the shop to Mr Cochrane's house, where I went to 

 see it a few nights ago. When I entered the house the 

 cuckoo was perched on the fender at the side of the fire, 

 quite at liberty. It readily pecked a meal-worm given to it, 

 and exhibited no fear at the presence of a stranger. After a 

 look round at some other pets, I inquired more minutely into 

 the history of the cuckoo. It was taken from a tit-lark's 



