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T HE 



CUCKOO AND ITS VARIETIES. 



^ j"^ H I S fmgular bird is fomewhat lefs than a -pigeon, fhaped like a 

 ^ magpie, of a grey ifh colour, diftinguifhed by its round prominent 

 noftrilsj the opening of its bill large; its claws two behind, two 

 before ; legs fhort, tail long. It difcovers itfelf early in the fpring 

 by its call, which is at firft very weak, and earlier or later as the feafon 

 feems to be more or lefs inviting. The call of the cuckoo, as fummer 

 advances, improves both in frequency and loudnefs. This invitation is 

 ufed only by the male, who, perched upon Ibme dead tree, or bare 

 bough, repeats his fong, which he lofes as foon as the genial feafon is 

 over. His note is pleafant, though uniform ; and fcldom occurs to me- 

 mory, without reminding us of the fweers of fummer. 



The female makes no neft of her ov/n, but fometimes lays in holes of 

 rocks J much oftener fhe invades the property of fome other bird, the 

 water-wagtail, hedge-fparrow, lark, or ftock-dove, and about twenty 

 different birds ; and often, after devouring the eggs of the owner, lays 

 her own in their place. She ufually lays but one (rarely two in the 

 fame place), which is fpeckled, and of the fize of a blackbird's. This 

 the fofter- parent hatches with great afliduity, and finds no difference in 

 the great ill-looking changeling from her own, or at leaft treats it as her 

 own. To fupply this voracious creature, the credulous nurfe toils with 

 unufual labour, and, though forced by perpetual craving to fupply extra- 

 ordinary food for an unufual length of time, yet continues the difficult 

 employment. 



Flefh and infedVs are their nouriihmenr, meal-worm infe<fls efpecially. 

 The capacity of their ftomach is enormous, and reaches from the brcaft- 

 bone to the vent j it is partly membranous, partly mufcular. 



They are naturally weak and fearful, as appears by their flying from 

 fmall birds which every wliere purfue them, and often drive the female 

 cuckoo from her defign of laying in their neft. The young birds are 

 brown, mixed with black j and in that ftate they have been defcribed by 

 fome authors as old ones. A female cuckoo has been found fo like a 

 merlin in plumage, as might deceive obfervcrs. It moults fo entirely a& 

 to be naked, and in this ftate may be miftaken for another animal. 



Part IV. No. 26, K . The 



