260 CROW— CUCKOO 



Na creid feannag na fitheach, is ann mar is toil le Dia a bhios 

 ail la — no bidh an la mar is toil le Dia. 



Believe neither crow nor raven ; as God wills, the day will be. 

 Good Christianity ; — a set-off against the old Roman and 

 Druidical beliefs and practices as to bird prophecies, 

 auguries, etc. 



CUCKOO. — Caoi, caolag-riabhach, coi, cuach, or a chuach, 

 cuachag, cuag, cubhag, cumhag, cuthag. 



Cuccu (A. S.); Gacc, gail, gale, gawk, gawky (North), geac, 

 golk, goo-goo, goo-koo, gouckoo, gowk, gowkoo, gowk-coo, guch, 

 guck, guckaw ; Kocok, kuckuc ; Welch-ambassador ; Zeke (A. S.). 



So called from its cry, though the Lowland term '*gouk" is 

 given to it because it repeats a single note. The term "zeke" 

 has for its first letter a character often printed Z, but it is not so, 

 being an old early English character, with more of the sound of G, 

 being like this latter letter upside down. Volumes almost might 

 be written on this familiar visitor, which so cunningly leaves its 

 young to be brought up by deputy. All Highlanders love this 

 bird, which feeling is not shared in by all other races, especially 

 some of the continental ones. Various are the nests in which 

 naturalists and others allege this bird lays itf? eggs in : those of the 

 hedge-sparrow, red-breast, white throat, red-start, willow-warbler, 

 pied wagtail, meadow-pipit, skylark, yellow-hammer, chaffinch, 

 greenfinch, and linnet. These of the sparrow, pied wagtail, and 

 meadow-pipit being most frequently selected, the latter even 

 taking its name from the cuckoo as its most constant companion. 

 Allegations have been made that the cuckoo lays only one egg, 

 but it is believed to lay several, though only one in each nest 

 selected — (see an interesting article, written in good Gaelic, by 

 "Bodachan a gharaidh," Highland Neios, October 31, 1903). 



This bird has been called " eun sith," or fairy bird, because it 

 was believed to have its winter dwelling under-ground instead 

 of migrating. The time of its arrival and being heard in this 

 country is recorded in various works on natural history ; it has 

 been heard on the moor of Rannoch as early as 10th February, 

 and in Appin on the 11th. In the Edinburgh Dispatch of 6th 

 March 1902, the cuckoo was reported as having been heard in 

 Windsor Great Park, England, during that week. It is said to 

 leave Uist on St Peter's day (29th June). In reference to this, 

 the following lines may be given : — 



*' Thig fochunn, thig feur, bidh bainn' aig an spreidh 



Theid am minnein do'n bheinn, bristidh duilleach nan geug, 

 Goiridh an ianlaith gu leir, theid an earrach fo gheiU 

 'S a bhealltuinn bhuig sheamh mu'n goir a chuthag. " 



Braird will come, grass will come, cows will have their milk. 

 The kidlings to the mount will go, the leaves burst from the twigs, 

 All birds will break forth into song, the spring its homage yield ; 

 On soft and mild Midsummer's Day, the cuckoo is afield. 



