134 NATURAL HISTORY SKETCHES. 



appeared far more common in the winter than at any 

 other time. 



The Cuckoo was another summer migrant to us, and 

 of this we had three varieties, the large gray cuckoo, the 

 common cuckoo, and the little bronze or zebra cuckoo ; 

 and of this last I fancy we had also two distinct varieties, 

 the one rather larger and much brighter in plumage 

 than the other. Neither of the three had the call-note 

 peculiar to the home bird. The large cuckoo was the 

 rarest with us, but seemed to come the earliest. An 

 odd pair or so (for all the species flew in pairs) were 

 generally to be seen in the forest on any summer's day, 

 flying about the tops of the high stringy-bark gums. All 

 the three species had the peculiarities of the British bird 

 in shape, beak, feet, and flight ; and any one at a glance 

 could tell to what class they belonged. The Large Cuclcoo 

 is half as large again as the common cuckoo, of a dull 

 ash-gray colour, with a long pointed barred tail. It had 

 a loud single call-note or whistle, often repeated when 

 flying from tree to tree. The Common Cuckoo rather 

 resembles its British namesake in colour, habits, and 

 appearance; but the sexes do not appear to differ in 

 plumage. The note was a simple call. It was more com- 

 mon than the last, and frequented smaller trees, such as 

 shey oak and honeysuckles, whereas the large bird was 

 always to be found among the high gums. The Bronze 

 Cuckoo was a beautiful little bird, scarcely so large as the 

 wryneck at home, the whole upper plumage and wings 

 green-bronze, breast dull white, striped or striated with 



