COMMON CUCKOO. 373 



in spring heralding the return of sunny skies and 

 bursting vegetation, carries with it dear associa- 

 tions in every country where it is known, while 

 the singular provision of its making use of the 

 nest of other birds in which to deposit its eggs, 

 has created an interest and curiosity to ascertain 

 its history. It has been ascertained without 

 doubt, that the Common European Cuckoo, and 

 several foreign species, deposit their eggs in the 

 manner we have alluded to, none of the species 

 afterwards attending to the fate of the egg, or to 

 the after rearing of the young. And in a bird, 

 not apparently differing in structure from many 

 others which are migratory at the same seasons, 

 and feed on similar food, ornithologists and 

 naturalists have been unable to account for the 

 different manner in which incubation is managed. 

 No doubt, it might have been managed in the 

 usual course ; but there can be no doubt also that 

 when we do ascertain the cause of departure 

 from it, we shall find that it has been so arranged 

 to fill up or complete some principle in the eco- 

 nomy of this tribe of birds, or some link in the 

 zoological chain which has not yet struck the 

 mind of inquirers ; and we would suggest that a 

 probable means of discovering the bearings of 

 this mysterious deviation, would be to endea- 

 vour to connect it with analogous cases in the 

 other branches, where the variety of circum- 

 stances by which it would be developed, might 

 lead to something which would give the key 

 to the whole. Birds possessing this parasitical 



