THE CUCKOO. 323 



house where it was reared, and several little wild birds 

 were in the act of feeding it. The Bishop of Norwich* 

 mentions two instances in which a young Cuckoo in 

 captivity was fed by a young Thrush which had only 

 just learnt to feed itself. 



In the days when omens were observed, it was con- 

 sidered a matter of high import to hear the song of the 

 Nightingale before that of the Cuckoo. Thus Chaucer 



" it was a commone tale 

 That it were gode to here the Nightingale, 

 Moche rathirf than the lewdej Cuckowe singe." 



So, when on a certain occasion he heard the Cuckoo first, 

 and was troubled in consequence, he represents the Night- 

 ingale as thus addressing him : 



" be thou not dismaied 



For thou have herd the Cuckow erst than me, 

 For if I live it shall amendid be 

 The nexte Maie, if I be not afraied." 



More recently Milton thus addresses the Nightingale : 



" Thy liquid notes that close the eye of day, 

 First heard before the shallow Cuccoo's bill, 

 Portend success in love." 



Whether any traces of this popular belief yet linger in 

 our rural districts, I do not know ; but I can recall my 

 childish days in the west of England (where there are 

 no Nightingales), when I looked forward with implicit 

 faith to the coming of the Cuckoo, to " eat up the dirt," 

 and make the Devonshire lanes passable for children's 

 spring wanderings. 



The song of the Cuckoo, I need scarcely remark, 

 consists of but two notes, of which the upper is, I 



* Familiar History of Birds. f Earlier. 



J Unskilful. 

 Y 2 



