88 Further Facts and some Results. 



the latter as a distinct species ; for this reason, and 

 because the adult has been more frequently figured 

 than the young bird, I have given the prominent 

 place on the plate to a bird of the year. The young 

 of the cuckoo differs much in plumage from the old 

 bird, being dove-brown, barred with reddish brown." 



Here is the report of another observer : 



*' During the pairing time, the cuckoo acts in a 

 very headstrong, jealous, and wild manner. He gets 

 into a dreadful rage when another of the same species 

 dares to invade his territory. And yet he is a Simple 

 Simon all the while. He will come blindly to the call 

 of the sportsman, who understands how to imitate his 

 note. Sitting on a branch, with raised tail and ruffled 

 head-feathers, he cries ' cuckoo ' as if in defiance to 

 all the world — of birds, at any rate. 



" While flying he will often glide slowly in front of 

 his mate and tell his passion with a low ' crawawa,' 

 to which the latter answers, ' kwikurkurk,' etc., with 

 great rapidity, a cry savouring more of laughter, or a 

 chuckle, than a favourable response to his affectionate 

 invitation. When both are at the height of their 

 courtship, the one cries ' cuckookook cuckookook,' 

 while the other laughs and chuckles. After the 

 breeding season is over, both sexes are silent. It is 

 possible that in many cases the cuckoo is content 

 with one mate ; yet, the males being in excess, this 

 is hardly possible either ; and that each male should 

 in turn court all the females alike, which might in 

 certain cases justify this unbounded jealousy." 



The call of the cuckoo, it may be added, is a true 

 song, that is, a music made for the mate, and the 

 changes it undergoes in the season are only further 



