196 A CLEVER CUCKOO. 



We had not waited long when the head of the 

 cuckoo family appeared. He saw us instantly, 

 and, I regret to say, was no more reconciled to 

 our presence than he had been on the previous 

 occasion; but he showed his displeasure in a 

 different way. He rushed about in the trees, 

 crying, "cuck-a-ruck, cuck-a-ruck," running 

 out even to the tip of slender branches that 

 seemed too slight to bear his weight. When 

 his feelings entirely overcame him he flew away, 

 and though we remained fifteen minutes, no one 

 came to the nest. 



The day after this display of unkindly feeling 

 toward us we passed down the cuckoo path, saw 

 Madam on the nest, and at once determined to 

 wait and see what new demonstration her mate 

 w^ould invent to express his emotions. My com- 

 rade threw herself down full length on the dead 

 leaves beside the path, where she could bask in 

 the sunlight, while I sat in the shade close by. 



After some time we saw the cuckoo stealing 

 in by a roundabout back way through the low 

 growth in the edge of the wood. He was com- 

 ing with supplies, for a worm dangled from his 

 beak. He had nearly reached the nest — in 

 fact was not two feet away — when his eyes fell 

 upon us. He stopped as if paralyzed. We re- 

 mained motionless, almost breathless, but he did 

 not take his eyes off us, nor attempt to relieve 



