MEROPID. OTF 
still younger age the whole of the upper parts are 
much more mottled with brown. 
The eggs of the Cuckoo are dull dirty white 
ground, much spotted all over with brownish grey 
and a few black spots: they vary a little, some of 
them being a shade lighter than others. 
With the Cuckoo ends this division of the Inses- 
sorial birds. I think we may fairly say that none of 
the birds included in it can be accused of doing any 
mischief, either to the gamekeeper, the agriculturist 
or the gardener, for a few nuts may well be granted 
to the Nuthatch; on the other hand, they are all of 
the greatest use by the destruction of caterpillars 
and various other mischievous insects. 
Div. Fisstrostres.—Family Mreropiwz. 
The last division of the Insessorial order at which 
we have now arrived, derives its name from the wide 
gape of all the birds included in it, the mouth 
indeed opening as far back as underneath the eye, 
and is almost absurdly disproportioned to the beak, 
which, in the greater part of the birds included in 
this division, is very small, although in some, as the 
Kingfisher, and the Bee-eaters, this is not the case. 
Router, Coracias garrula. The species at present 
under consideration is a very bright, beautiful, 
