BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



CROW, ROYSTON. See CROW, HOODED. 



CUCKOO. 



( Cuculus canorus.) 

 Order PICARI^ ; Family CUCULID^E (CUCKOOS). 



ADULT CUCKOO. 



Description of Parent Birds. 

 Length about fourteen 

 inches. Bill rather short, 

 slightly curved downwards, 

 and black, turning yellowish 

 at the base. Irides yellow. 

 Head, nape, back, and upper 

 parts generally dark ash- 

 colour. Wing-quills dusky, 

 barred with white for some 

 distance on their inner 

 webs. Tail - quills greyish- 

 black, especially the middle 

 feathers, tipped with white, and marked with 

 white spots. Chin, throat, and upper breast pale 

 ash-grey ; lower breast, belly, vent, and under tail- 

 coverts white, marked with wavy, transverse bars 

 of black ; the two last parts often have a red- 

 dish-brown tinge. Legs, toes, and claws yellow. 



The female is very similar in appearance to the 

 male, but a little smaller in size. 



Situation and Locality. Deposits generally a 

 single egg (although a case has recently come under 

 my notice of three Cuckoo's eggs being found in 

 a Hedge Sparrow's nest containing four of the 

 bird's own production) in the nest of the Meadow 

 Pipit, Tree Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 



