A NATURAL HISTORY OF THE CUCKOO. 55 
which season none are found north of the Mediterranean. A few 
breed in the southern hemisphere, towards the Cape of Good Hope, 
In most parts of Britain it is a bird of rather common occurrence, 
frequenting woodland districts, and waste lands interspersed with 
trees. It is plentiful as far north as Sutherland, but a rare and 
uncertain visitant in Shetland and Orkney. 
Its welcome note is first heard, generally, about the second week 
in April, but if the weather prove chilly and ungenial it continues 
silent for some time: in the more northern localities its arrival 
may be somewhat later. The old birds are generally all gone be- 
fore the end of July, but the young remain till September, at which 
time they leave the country in small flocks. Some of the adult 
birds, also, both arrive and depart in flocks, but others migrate 
singly. The truth is, that many of the young are not even hatched 
at the time their parents depart; but as fast as they acquire the 
requisite strength they assemble and migrate, so that there is no 
particular accumulation of them in the autumn, as would otherwise 
be the case. 
Cuckoos frequently assemble at each other’s call during the spring 
and summer, whence it is not unusual to perceive several on the 
same tree, or clump of trees; but the companies of them soon dis- 
perse as readily as they form. Their well-known cry, from which 
is derived their name, is common to the two sexes, but is more fre- 
quently reiterated by the male ; and when they congregate as just - 
related, we often hear this note stammered forth, as it were, with 
eagerness, its first syllable being broken into two or three. This 
cry is very hoarsely emitted before it finally ceases, and its first syl- 
lable is then, also, sometimes repeated two or three times. It is 
peculiar to the adult bird, and is first emitted while they are shed- 
ding their nestling plumage. 
The Cuckoo has also another equally characteristic ery, which is 
delivered only during flight, and generally as it takes wing: it is a 
peculiar tremulous whistle, very full and melodious, and, according 
to my judgment, musical in the extreme. Sometimes the cry 
* cuckoo,” also, is repeated while taking a steady flight: the other 
sound being chiefly uttered when gliding through a thicket. As 
remarked by Sir W. Jardine, these birds “ are seldom seen on the 
ground ; but, when obliged to be near it, alight on some hillock or 
twig, where they will continue for a considerable time ; swinging 
round their body in a rather ludicrous manner, with lowered wings, 
and expanded tail, and uttering a rather low monotonous sound— 
‘Turning round and round, with eufty-coo ;’ ” 
