CUCKOO. 47 
under side of the tail. The black-billed cuckoo is 
a plainer bird, its only striking peculiarity being 
its bright red eyelids. 
You will do well to remember the rhythm of 
the cuckoo’s notes. It may save you an experi- 
ence I had one fall. I supposed the birds had 
left for the South, but hearing a regular kuk-kuk- 
kuk coming from the woods, and being especially 
anxious to study the cuckoo’s habits, I left the 
raspberry patch where I was watching for rare 
warblers, and hurried off in search of the wander- 
ing voice. What a treat!—to be able to seea 
euckoo after all! I crept along with scrupulous 
eare, begrudging the time my caution cost me, but 
determined not to lose this last chance. What if 
he should fly off before I could get there! But 
no — I began to exult — hkuk-kuk-kuk came loud 
and clear as I stopped to listen for the direction 
of the sound. I must be almost up to him. Oh, 
that I could sweep all the noisy dead leaves into 
the ditch! I look about anxiously for moss and 
old logs to step on. There! Grasping my note- 
book in one hand, with the other I raise my glass. 
A mischievous looking chipmunk, sitting erect on 
top of a mossy stump, suddenly jumps off into 
the leaves and — the sound stops! 
