CUCKOOS 77 



become vocal, and continue to call until it is almost 

 quite dark. The common call consists of a series 

 of deep hooting notes, beginning rapidly, and broken 

 by pauses that go on progressively increasing in 

 length. There is a perceptible difference in the 

 notes of the sexes ; that of the male being the 

 resonant hooting that usually attracts notice, and 

 that of the female not so strong and sounding " uk, 

 uk, uk, uk." A moist state of the atmosphere seems 

 to prompt them to cry, and in the early part of the 

 year, during which they are usually comparatively 

 silent, any heavy fall of rain rouses them up to call 

 loudly on the morning or evening after its occurrence. 

 The only condition that seems to be completely 

 repressive is exceptionally low temperature, but 

 during the continuance of this they become as silent 

 as the little " coppersmith " barbets are in like 

 circumstances. In addition to their ordinary calls 

 they are able to utter a variety of cries indicative 

 of alarm. When suddenly startled they sometimes 

 make off uttering notes like strangled sneezes. At 

 other times they replace these by a low, shrill cry, 

 and occasionally, when indignant at the invasion 

 of some particularly favourite covert, they give 

 vent to their outraged feelings by a series of 

 extraordinary " kurrings " and " guckings," not unlike 

 those that some goat-suckers occasionally utter, and 

 very alarming to dogs who may have intruded on 

 their privacy. Sometimes, too, they call very like 



