THE CUCRUU 



Cuculus canorus, LiNNiEUs ; Le Coucou, Buffon ; Der gemeine Kukuk, 

 Bechstein. 



Although it is not larger than the turtle-dove, its length is 

 fourteen inches, hut seven of these are included in the tail, 

 three quarters of which are covered hy the folded wings. The 

 heak, black above, and bluish beneath ; the feet have two claws 

 before and two behind. The head, the top of the neck, and 

 the rest of the upper part of the body are of a dark ash colour, 

 changing like the throat of the pigeon on the back and wing- 

 coverts. 



In the female, which is smaller, the upper part of the body 

 is of a dark brown, with dirty brown spots, which are scarcely 

 visible. The under part of the neck is a mixture of ash grey 

 and yellow, crossed with dark streaks. The belly is of a dirty 

 white, with dark transverse lines. 



Habitation. — When 'wild, it is a bird of passage, which arrivea in April 

 and departs in September, and even much sooner,, according to an Enolisk 

 observer. 



In the house, it may be let run about, or confined in a large wooden 

 cage. 



Food.— When wild, it cats all sorts of insects, particularly caterpillars 

 on trees. 



When confined, it is fed with meat, insects, and the universal mste 

 made of whcat-meai. 



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