THRUSH AND CUCKOO. 187 



those birds from whom it requires assistance? The case 

 was this, A young Cuckoo was taken from the nest of 

 a Hedge- Sparrow, and a few days afterwards, a young 

 Thrush, scarcely fledged, was put into the same cage. 

 The latter could feed itself, but the Cuckoo, its com- 

 panion, was obliged to be fed with a quill; in a short 

 time, however, the Thrush took upon itself the task 

 of feeding its fellow-prisoner, and continued so to do 

 with the utmost care, bestowing every possible atten- 

 tion, and manifesting the greatest anxiety to satisfy its 

 continual craving for food*. 



The following is a still more extraordinary instance, 

 corroborating the above, and for the truth of which we 

 can vouch in every particular. A young Thrush, just 

 able to feed itself, had been placed in a cage; a short 

 time afterwards, a young Cuckoo, which could not feed 

 itself, was introduced into the same cage, a large wicker 

 one, and for some time it was with much difficulty 

 fed; at length, however, it was observed that the young 

 Thrush was employed in feeding it, the Cuckoo open- 

 ing its mouth and sitting <rn the upper perch, and 

 making the Thrush hop down to fetch food up. One 

 day, when it was thus expecting its food in this way, 

 the Thrush seeing ;a worm put into tfo age could not 

 resist the temptation of eating it, nipon which the 

 Cuckoo immediately descended from its perch, and at- 

 tacking the Thrush, literally tore on of its eyes quite 

 out, and then hopped back: the poor Thrush felt itself 

 obliged to take up some food ia the lacerated state it 

 was in. The eye healed in course of time, and the 

 Thrush continued its occupation as before, till the 

 Cuckoo was full grown. 



The Fly-Catchers form the third genus of the notch- 

 billed birds; we have but two sorts in our country; and 



* In dissecting a young Cuckoo, killed August 20, 1833, about twenty 

 full-grown caterpillars, of the peacock butterfly (Pap, Jo), were found 

 undigested. The stomachs of these birds are remarkable for having a 

 coating of hair, which, when dried and turned inside out, looks very 

 similar, in colour, size, and form, to a mouse's head. 



