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THE CUCKOO. 



Cuculus canorus. 

 „ hepaticus. 



LTHOUGH certainly inferior to 

 a large number of our feathered 

 friends as regards plumage, 

 the Cuckoo nevertheless occu- 

 pies quite an unique position 

 amongst the birds of our native 

 land. The voice of the Cuckoo, 

 that '^ marvellous monotone^'' 

 so closely resembling the human 

 voicC;, has from time immemorial 

 been inseparably associated with 

 the advent of spring and the 

 birth-time of flowers. It is 

 universally hailed with delight, 

 and callous indeed must be the 

 individual who hears the Cuckoo 

 in the budding spring-tide with- 

 out feeling some emotions of 

 genuine gratification. 



This remarkable bird be- 

 longs to a genus, the Cuculidie, 

 only one species of which is a 

 native of Great Britain. A 

 few belong to Europe, but the 



