74 Life History of Common Cuckoo. 



myself to-day quite distinctly twice ; the second time 

 at a distance of not more than twenty yards. It 

 must be rare that this early migrant is seen at so late 

 a date in the year.' " 



It raised so many questions and suggested so many 

 problems that I am thankful I was led to write to 

 Mr. Freer asking about it. In answer Mr. Freer was 

 so good as to write to me as follows : 



High Ercall Vicarage, 



Wellington, 



Salop. 

 September 8, i8g8. 

 My dear Sir, 



I was pleased to hear from you. I have long been familiar 

 with your most interesting work on " German Life and Litera- 

 ture," and have read some of your contributions to the Spectator. 

 I have talked with an old forester to-day — a man of about the 

 average intelligence, whose statements were quite decided, and 

 I think may be relied on for their limited range. He said the 

 cuckoo arrives here on April i6, generally, April 14 or iS occa- 

 sionally, sometimes a little later than April 18, if there is a cold 

 stormy spring. 



He said he had certainly never seen the old bird as late as 

 September i. That on two or three occasions he had seen the 

 young cuckoo in October. Once, many years ago, when 

 working in a distant part of this parish, he had seen a young 

 cuckoo constantly which remained till "nigh upo' Christmas." 



He said that it was the opinion of some men about here that 

 the young birds did not leave at all, but he added that he had 

 also heard some men " argy " that in the spring they " turned 

 into throstles ! " 



Apart from this latter contribution to knowledge, may not 

 there be something in the statement that the young cuckoo 

 occasionally fails to migrate from this country ? 



May not the occasional very early appearance of the cuckoo 

 (my brother saw one this year in Somerset in February) be 



