1832-3.] HABITS OF THE CUCKOO. 39 



feeds on fruit and caterpillars. In structure also these two genera are 

 widely removed from each other. Many theories, even phrenological 

 theories, have been advanced to explain the origin of the cuckoo laying 

 its eggs in other birds' nests. M. Prevost alone, I think, has thrown 

 light by his observations * on this puzzle : he finds that the female 

 cuckoo, which, according to most observers, lays at least from four to 

 six eggs, must pair with the male each time after laying only one or 

 two eggs. Now, if the cuckoo was obliged to sit on her own eggs, she 

 would either have to sit on all together, and therefore leave those first 

 laid so long, that they probably would become addled ; or she would 

 have to hatch separately each egg or two eggs, as soon as laid : but as 

 the cuckoo stays a shorter time in this country than any other migratory 

 bird, she certainly would not have time enough for the successive 

 hatchings. Hence we can perceive in the fact of the cuckoo pairing 

 several times, and laying her eggs at intervals, the cause of her de- 

 positing her eggs in other birds' nests, and leaving them to the care of 

 foster-parents. I am strongly inclined to believe that this view is 

 correct, from having been independently led (as we shall hereafter see) 

 to an analogous conclusion with regard to the South American ostrich, 

 the females of which are parasitical, if I may so express it, on each 

 other ; each female laying several eggs in the nests of several other 

 females, and the male ostrich undertaking all the cares of incubation, 

 like the strange foster-parents with the cuckoo. 



I will mention only two other birds, which are very common, and 

 render themselves prominent from their habits. The Saurophagus 

 sulphuratus is typical of the great American tribe of tyrant-flycatchers. 

 In its structure it closely approaches the true shrikes, but in its habits 

 may be compared to many birds. I have frequently observed it, hunting 

 a field, hovering over one spot like a hawk, and then proceeding on to 

 another. When seen thus suspended in the air, it might very readily 

 at a short distance be mistaken for one of the Rapacious order; its 

 stoop, however, is very inferior in force and rapidity to that of a hawk. 

 At other times the Saurophagus haunts the neighbourhood of water, 

 and there, like a kingfisher, remaining stationary, it catches any small 

 fish which may come near the margin. These birds are not unfrequently 

 kept either in cages or in courtyards, with their wings cut. They soon 

 become tame, and are very amusing from their cunning odd manners, 

 which were described to me as being similar to those of the common 

 magpie. Their flight is undulatory, for the weight of the head and bill 

 appear too great for the body. In the evening the Saurophagus takes 

 its stand on a bush, often by the roadside, and continually repeats 

 without change a shrill and rather agreeable cry, which somewhat 

 resembles articulate words : the Spaniards say it is like the words 

 "Bien te veo" (I see you well), and accordingly have given it this 

 name. 



A mocking-bird (Minus orpheus), called by the inhabitants Calandria, 

 is remarkable, from possessing a song far superior to that of any other 

 bird in the country : indeed it is nearly the only bird in South America 



* Read before the Academy of Sciences in Paris. L'lnstifnf, 1834, p. 418, 



