26 General Notes on the Cuckoo. 



ones) result in a balance being struck in the bird's 

 favour. I think it does ? 



The food is entirely insectivorous, consisting, be- 

 sides the insects already mentioned, of beetles, 

 lepidopterous insects and larvae. 



The bird is often mistaken for a Hawk and is 

 thus persecuted. Small birds too are often seen fly- 

 ing after it. Do they actually mistake it for a Hawk, 

 or are they angry because of the bird's habit of 

 placing under their care its unruly offspring ? 



The only Local names known to me are those of 

 Cog, Gowk, and Grey Cuckoo. 



The upper parts are bluish ash, somewhat of a 

 darker character on the wings, but lighter on the 

 neck and breast ; whitish, with transverse dusky 

 streaks predominates underneath ; quills barred on 

 the inner webs with white oval spots ; blackish tail 

 feathers, tipped and spotted with white. The beak 

 is dusky, with a yellow edging ; orbits and inside of 

 mouth yellow ; iris and feet same colour. The 

 young are ash-brown barred with reddish brown ; 

 the tips of feathers are white, and there is a white 

 spot on the back of the head. Length, thirteen and 

 a half inches. 



