100 CUCKOO. 
vol. iv, page 184: this bird was seen for some days afterwards. 
Again, in ‘Graves’ British Ornithology, the author records 
that he saw two Cuckoos, on the 26th. and 27th. of August, 
and heard the former one uttering its well-known note. He 
too says, that he has known them in October also. On the 
14th. of October, 1848, one is mentioned by Martin Curtler, 
Ksq., of Bevere House, near Worcester, as having been shot 
close to that city; but it must probably have been a young 
bird. Two young ones were shot in a garden near Tralee, in 
the county of Kerry, on the 5th. of October. 
Occasionally at the time of their departure, considerable 
numbers of Cuckoos have been seen collected together—sixteen 
were seen flying in company from the north-east end of the 
Grampian hills, in Scotland, towards the German Ocean, distant 
about half a mile. Bishop Stanley relates that a gentleman 
living on the Cheshire side of the Mersey, opposite to Liverpool, 
was awoke one morn ning early in the s spring —the time of their 
arrival, by a chattering noise, with an occasional ‘cuckoo,’ in 
a low plantation near his house, which he found to proceed 
from a pretty large flock of these birds, which at sunrise, or 
soon after, took flight: three or four, or more, are not unfre- 
quently seen together. In the county of Down, in Ireland, 
from the 18th. to the 22nd. of July, not less than forty were 
once observed feeding on the caterpillars that infest gooseberry 
trees. 
In several instances the Cuckoo has been kept, great care 
being used, through the winter, until the following spring; 
one for nearly two years, and it was then only killed by 
accident; and Buffon says, “Though cunning and solitary, the 
Cuckoo may be given some sort of education: several persons 
of my acquaintance have reared and tamed them. One of 
these tame Cuckoos knew his master, came at his call, followed 
him to the chase, perched on his gun, and if it found a cherry 
tree in its way, it would fly to it, and not return until it 
had eaten plentifully; sometimes it would not return to its 
master for a whole day, but followed him ata distance, flying 
from tree to tree. In the house it might range at will, and 
passed the night on the roost.’ 
Not only is the Cuckoo when come to maturity, a bird 
of marvel, but even from the very first, the chapter of its 
strange proceedings commences.—The instinctive propensity of 
the young one to turn out of the nest, by forcible ejectment, 
any other occupants, its lawful tenants by right of primo- 
