280 TEN TEAKS IN SWEDEN. 



Length 7 in.; colour above grey, beautifully varie- 

 gated with black, white, and rusty streaks and spots ; 

 below rusty yellow, with dark transverse lines. Iris 

 brown-yellow. 



Is a summer migrant to Scandinavia, and met with in all 

 the southern and midland districts, but does not go up into 

 Lapland or North Finland. 



Eggs in general more in number than any of the wood- 

 peckers. I never met with them breeding in deep forests, 

 generally in gardens or avenues near houses. 



Fam. 2. CUCULIDJE, Bp. CUCKOOS. 



Beak slightly curved downwards ; tongue short, weak ; 

 legs short ; the outer front toe reversible. 



* Gen. Cuculus, L. 



Beak shorter than the head; nostrils lateral, round, 

 surrounded by an elevated skin. Tail long, rounded with 

 ten feathers. 

 43. CUCULUS CANORUS, L. Gok. The Cuckoo. D. F. 



Length about 14 in.; tail 7 in., extending 2 in. 



beyond the closed wings; colour, above blue-grey; 



breast and belly white, with blackish wavy lines ; tail 



blackish, with white spots and tip ; gape, eyelids, iris 



and legs, bright yellow. 



The old female is smaller than the male, and her colour 

 less grey-blue and more grey-brown. The young of the first 

 year are reddish brown. 



The breeding habits of the European cuckoo are well 

 known to all. The nests usually selected in this country in 

 which the female deposits a single egg are the wagtails', 

 pipits', and some of the warblers. The egg of the cuckoo 

 is round and blunt, and though the usual colour may be 

 described as being dirty white, speckled all over with ash or 

 nutmeg brown, I have often observed a great similarity in 

 the general colouring of the egg deposited by the female 

 cuckoo with those of the intended foster-mother. 



