when they see him. In general appearance he recalls the 
sparrowhawk. I have known even game-keepers confuse the 
two. But the cuckoo is much paler on the back, and the bars 
of the breast are finer. On the wing he is much slower than the 
sparrowhawk ; his wings are shorter, and his tail is tipped with 
white. Immature birds may be recognized by their clove-brown 
coloration, and a large white patch at the nape of the neck. 
One of the most brilliantly coloured of all our native birds is 
the kingfisher. Small streams and quiet pools are its favourite 
haunts. A glance will suffice to identify it at close quarters, 
but even if one catches sight of its fleeting form at too great a 
distance to see its wonderful coloration, it can be distinguished 
by its extremely rapid and direct flight, and curiously shuttle- 
shaped form: an appearance due to the shortness of its tail, as 
may be seen by a reference to the excellent coloured Plate. 
The identification of birds in flight will be rendered easier 
for the novice if he makes a practice of “‘ expecting” to find 
particular birds in particular places. That is to say, the haunts of 
birds are governed by their stomachs—they must not stray far 
from the source of their food. In a wood, then, you may 
“expect” to find woodpeckers—though you will often be dis- 
appointed, for they are by no means always to be seen. But the 
task of identification will be easier if one has a mental picture 
ready of the birds appropriate to the place. 
gl! 
