BEE CUCKOO. 143 



The Cuckoo. The circumstance most remarkable in 

 the history of this species, is its mode of discovering to 

 mankind the hives of wild bees. It is an inhabitant of 

 the Cape of Good Hope, and several other parts of Africa. 

 As soon as the Cuckoo has found a nest of bees, it utters 

 a loud and continued cry, for the purpose, apparently, 

 of exciting attention to its wants. If followed by any 

 person, it flies on slowly, towards the place where the 

 bees are ; alighting, from time to time, in order to give 

 opportunity for the person to come up. If the hive be in 

 the cleft of a rock, in a hollow tree, or in some cavity 

 of the earth, the Cuckoo will hover over the spot for a 

 short time, after which it sits- at a little distance, in ex- 

 pectation of the result, and with a view of receiving its 

 share of the booty. When they have taken the nest, the 

 bee-hunters generally leave a share of the comb, to sup- 

 ply the wants and repay the services of the bird. The 

 Bee Cuckoo forms its nest in somewhat the shape of a 

 bottle, suspending it from the branch of a tree. It is 

 composed of slender filaments of bark, closely and in- 

 tricately woven together, and has the opening downwards. 

 This bird is so great a favourite with the inhabitants of the 

 countries where it is found, that it is considered criminal 

 to destroy it. 



The Bee Cuckoo is about six inches long. It is some- 

 what lighter coloured than the common sparrow, but the 

 general appearance of the plumage is nearly the same as in 

 that bird. The under parts of the body are whitish. The 

 eyelids are naked and black ; and on each shoulder there 

 is a yellow spot. The tail is wedge-shaped, and some- 

 what rust-coloured, mixed with white. 



