CUCUl.ID.E. 



277 



THE CUCKOO. 



CucuLUS CAX(')RUS, LinnKus. 



The male Cuckoo, which precedes the female by a few days, 

 seldom arrives even in the south of England before April 6th, and 

 immediately announces his presence by the well-known cuck-00 note, 

 often uttered at night as well as by day. In June, according to the 

 familiar adage, he '• changes his tune," and becomes hoarse, while 

 by August most of the old birds have taken their departure, though 

 the young sometimes remain until Octoljcr. In summer the Cuckoo 

 is found throughout the United Kingdom, inclusive of the outlying 

 islands ; and, though only an accidental visitor to the Fceroes, it 

 ranges almost to the North Cape in Norway ; nearly as far in 

 Russia ; and across Northern Asia — except on the Siberian tundras 

 — to the Pacific. Over Europe it is generally distributed, though 



