THE CUCKOO 115 



seek a new residence : for old Cuckoos take their 

 leave of this country the first week in July. 



" The Cuckoo goes on laying till the eve of her 

 departure from this country, for though old Cuckoos 

 in general take their leave the first week in July, I 

 have known an egg to be hatched in the nest of a 

 Hedge-sparrow so late as the I5th. 



"Among the many peculiarities of the young 

 Cuckoo there is one that shows itself very earl}-. 

 Long before it leaves the nest it frequently, when 

 irritated, assumes the manner of a Bird of prey, looks 

 ferocious, throws itself back, and pecks at anything 

 presented to it with great vehemence, often at the 

 same time making a chuckling noise, like a young- 

 Hawk. Sometimes, when disturbed in a smaller 

 degree, it makes a kind of hissing noise, accompanied 

 with a heaving motion of the whole body. The 

 growth of the young Cuckoo is uncommonly rapid. 

 The chirp is plaintive, like that of the Hedge- 

 sparrow ; but the sound is not acquired from the 

 foster-parent, as it is the same whether it be reared 

 by the Hedge-sparrow or any other Bird. It never 

 acquires the adult note during its stay in this country. 



" The stomachs of young Cuckoos contain a great 

 variety of food, animal or vegetable. Hedge- 

 sparrows in general feed the young Cuckoo with 

 scarcely anything but animal food ; the Titlark feeds 

 it principally with grasshoppers. In one fed by 

 Hedge-sparrows, the contents of the stomach were 

 almost entirely vegetable, such as wheat, small 

 vetches, etc. This served to clear up a point which 

 before had somewhat puzzled me ; for having found 



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