WILD LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 309 



Presently they fly, and are lost sight of behind the 

 trees ; but one or other is nearly sure to come back 

 to the rails again after a while. Cuckoos perch fre- 

 quently, too, on those solitary upright stones which 

 here and there stand in the midst of the fields. This 

 habit of theirs is quoted by some of the old folks as 

 an additional proof that the cuckoo is only a hawk 

 changed for the time, and unable to forget his old 

 habits, hawks (and owls) perching often on poles, or 

 anything upright and detached. 



The cuckoo flies so much like the hawk, and so re- 

 sembles it, as at the first glance to be barely distinguish- 

 able ; but on watching more closely it will be seen 

 that the cuckoo flies straight and level, with a gentle 

 fluttering of the wings, which never seem to come 

 forward, so that in outline he resembles a crescent, 

 the convex side in front. His tail appears longer in 

 proportion and more pointed ; his flight is like that 

 of a very large swallow flying straight. The cuckoo's 

 cry can perhaps be heard farther than the call of any 

 other bird. The heron's power of voice comes nearest : 

 he sails at a great height, and his " quaaack," drawn 

 out into a harsh screech, may be heard at a long 

 distance. But then he has the advantage of elevation ; 

 the cuckoo never rises above the tops of the elms. 



Yellow-hammers have a habit of sitting on a rail 

 or bough with their shoulders humped, so that they 

 seem to have no neck. In that attitude they will 

 remain a long tune, uttering their monotonous chant ; 

 most other birds stretch themselves and stand upright 



