158 IN THE MIDDLE COUNTRY. 



and in a moment we saw him, busy with his 

 breakfast. His manner of hunting was inter- 

 esting ; he stood perfectly still on a branch, his 

 beak pointed upward, but his head so turned 

 that one eye looked downward. When some- 

 thing attracted him, he almost fell off his perch, 

 seized the morsel as he passed, alighted on a 

 lower branch, and at once began looking around 

 again. There was no frivolity, no flitting about 

 like a little bird ; his conduct was grave and 

 dignified, and he was absolutely silent, except 

 when at rare intervals he mounted a branch and 

 uttered his call, or song, if one might so call it. 

 He managed his long tail with grace and ex- 

 pression, holding it a little spread as he moved 

 about, thus showing the white tips and " cor- 

 ners." 



While we were absorbed in cuckoo affairs 

 the sun peeped over the trees, and the place 

 was transfigured. Everything, as I said, was 

 charged with water, and looking against the 

 sun, some drops hanging from the tip of a leaf 

 glowed red as rubies, others shone out blue as 

 sapphires, while here and there one scintillated 

 with many colors like a diamond, now flashing 

 red, and now yellow or blue. 



" The humblest weed 

 Wore its own coronal, and gayly bold 

 Waved jeweled sceptre." 



