148 BY-WAYS AND BIRD-NOTES. 
of habitat. To what distance Canada is in- 
vaded by either or both seems left in some 
doubt. . 
Whilst the cuckoos of eastern North Amer- 
ica are technically frugiverous, they are not, 
so far as my observation serves me, strictly 
fruit-eating within the general and popular 
meaning of the term. Ihave never seen 
either of the two common species taste any of 
the small fruits, wild or tame. They probably 
eat seeds at need, but their chief food 1s in- 
sects—the caterpillars, moths, butterfly-eggs - 
and various larve found on the leaves and 
branches of trees. 
The Cuckoo’s habits may be studied to 
advantage by any one who will take the trouble 
to scan with care almost any apple-orchard in 
Spring and be guided to the bird by that half- 
solemn, half-comical cry uttered at intervals, 
which may be phonetically rendered thus: 
“ Kauwk, kauwk, khauwk kuk—kuk—kuk—kuk 
—k—k—k—k, kauwk, kauwk, kauwk!” In 
uttering this singular call or cry, the bird be- 
gins slowly, the two or three leading notes 
coming forth at nearly equal intervals, then 
the succeeding ones are produced with rapidly 
increasing quickness, until they run together 
into a sort of rattling noise, succeeded by a 
repetition of the opening cries. Loud, harsh, 
peculiarly doleful, the voice of the rain-crow, 
as the bird is vulgarly called, rings through 
our woods and orchards, more especially in 
cloudy weather, with an accent far from cheer- 
ing or pleasing. Hence has arisen the unwar- 
ranted ill-feeling existing in rural districts 
against this very best bird-friend known to our 
farmers and_ fruit-growers. The cuckoos 
