Parasitic Birds : the Cuckoo 301 



does not perceive the difference between the young Cuckoo 

 and its own nestlings, and brings it up. The illustration, 

 which represents the old Mynas feeding the young Koel, 

 is drawn from specimens in the Natural History Museum, 

 and the Koel is the identical young one which Mr. White- 

 head saw the old Mynas feeding, and they are the actual 

 specimens which formed the subject of the story I have 

 told above. 



Here perhaps it may be permitted to give a short account 

 of some parasitic birds, or such species as make no nests of 

 their own, but victimize other birds by placing their eggs in 

 the nests of the latter, leaving them the task of bringing 

 up the young one. To write the life history of our own 

 Cuculus canorus is a long and by no means easy task, for 

 not a year passes but some new fact in connection with the 

 Common Cuckoo is brought to light. It is indeed a bird 

 whose habits are full of mystery and worthy of a life-time's 

 study. We know that in spring the Cuckoo returns to 

 Europe from its winter home, and is welcomed, like the 

 Swallow, as a sign that winter has departed. Every season 

 letters are written to the newspapers announcing the bird's 

 arrival in March or some other impossible date, when the 

 Cuckoo has scarcely thought of its northward flight, and 

 when the insects, on which it must feed, have not dreamed 

 of putting in an appearance for some weeks yet to come. 

 The northward movement of the Cuckoo is regulated by 

 the season, and the bird very seldom appears till the 

 weather is thoroughly settled and warm, though sometimes 

 even these knowing birds, like the Swift (Apus apus\ arrive 

 too soon, and a return of the cold winds will keep them in 

 numbers on the southern coasts for days, until absolutely 

 warm spring weather sets in. 



Many curious theories have been propounded about the 

 Cuckoo, with a view to explain its remarkable habits. 

 That the males out-number the females seems to be 



