THE VAGRANT CUCKOO 



81 



It is a charming sight to see a young cuckoo being 

 fed by its foster-parents, and a most amusing one : 

 when a little whitethroat or pipit is pushing food down 

 the cavernous mouth of a young cuckoo it almost 

 looks as if it might be swallowed up also. Often the 

 foster-bird settles on the cuckoo's back while feeding 

 it : or will hover before its mouth, and pass it food while 

 on the wing. Birds blessed or cursed with a young 

 cuckoo to feed grow very bold, and may be approached 

 closely. 



The full-grown cuckoos depart, for Tropical and 

 South Africa, towards the end of July and early in 

 August, leaving the young birds to follow as best they 

 may to their winter quarters ; though possibly the 

 young hatched early in the spring may go with the 

 old birds. In the second week of April we expect to 

 hear again their ever- welcome notes. 



which appears to be rather a hazardous undertaking at times. 



