THE CUCKOO 115 



seek a new residence : for old Cuckoos take their 

 leave of this country the first week in July. 



" The Cuckoo goes on laying till the eve of her 

 departure from this country, for though old Cuckoos 

 in general take their leave the first week in July, I 

 have known an egg to be hatched in the nest of a 

 Hedge-sparrow so late as the I5th. 



"Among the many peculiarities of the young 

 Cuckoo there is one that shows itself very early. 

 Long before it leaves the nest it frequently, when 

 irritated, assumes the manner of a Bird of prey, looks 

 ferocious, throws itself back, and pecks at anything 

 presented to it with great vehemence, often at the 

 same time making a chuckling noise, like a young 

 Hawk. Sometimes, when disturbed in a smaller 

 degree, it makes a kind of hissing noise, accompanied 

 with a heaving motion of the whole body. The 

 growth of the young Cuckoo is uncommonly rapid. 

 The chirp is plaintive, like that of the Hedge- 

 sparrow ; but the sound is not acquired from the 

 foster-parent, as it is the same whether it be reared 

 by the Hedge-sparrow or any other Bird. It never 

 acquires the adult note during its stay in this country. 



" The stomachs of young Cuckoos contain a great 

 variety of food, animal or vegetable. Hedge- 

 sparrows in general feed the young Cuckoo with 

 scarcely anything but animal food ; the Titlark feeds 

 it principally with grasshoppers. In one fed by 

 Hedge-sparrows, the contents of the stomach were 

 almost entirely vegetable, such as wheat, small 

 vetches, etc. This served to clear up a point which 

 before had somewhat puzzled me ; for having found 



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