92 A BOOK OF BIRDS 



But the best known of all the Cuckoos is the bird called in Great 

 Britain the *' Common " Cuckoo (Plate XXIII. fig. 4), a bird which 

 is found also over the greater part of the Old World. This fame is 

 due partly to its wonderful call, " Cuckoo, cuckoo," so dear to all lovers 

 of the country, and partly to its curious parasitic habits. For this 

 bird, as everybody knows, thrusts the charge of its offspring upon 

 other birds, choosing as its dupes such species as Robins, Hedge- 

 sparrows, Wagtails, Thrushes, Larks, Meadowpipits, and Red-backed 

 Shrikes, etc. The young Cuckoo, almost as soon as hatched, ejects 

 the offspring of its foster-parents from the nest, and thereby secures 

 an abundance of food, for its appetite is insatiable. 



The curious resemblance which the Common Cuckoo bears to the 

 Sparrow-hawk, both in flight and coloration, serves it in good stead 

 when seeking for victims on whom it is desired to thrust its eggs. 

 The male Cuckoo attracts the attention of the birds to be victimised, 

 and draws them away from their nest, by affecting to expose itself 

 to their attacks ; the fond fools, in defence of their home, not hesi- 

 tating to buffet even the Sparrow-hawk. So soon as they have left 

 the neighbourhood of the nest in pursuit of what they believe to be 

 the fleeing marauder — the Sparrow-hawk — the female quietly steals 

 up and deposits her eggs with those of the absent birds ; she having 

 first dropped it upon the ground, and then picked it up in her bill. 

 When the infuriated pair return, they either do not notice the additional 

 egg, or are so thankful to find the nursery of their treasures intact, 

 that they do not interfere with the egg which has thus cleverly been 

 foisted upon them. 



