62 THE MINOR GRAKLE. 



Breeding and Peculiarities. — Every one knows that the female 

 cnckoo never sits upon her eggs, but intrusts that care to other birds, 

 particularly those which feed on insects, laying one or two eggs in their 

 nest. 



In order to tame a cuckoo, it must be taken from the nest : I never tried 

 mvsclf, but several of my friends have. As this is a curious bird, and 

 most bird-fimciers like to have it in their room or aviary, I shall here insert 

 some observations on this subject, by M. von Schauroth, who was before 

 quoted. 



" The cuckoo possesses hardly any qualities which would render it fit 

 to be a house bird : if old, it is too obstinate and voracious, generally it is 

 furious, sullen, and melancholy. I have reared several ; the last was 

 taken from the nest of a yellow-hammer: its eyes were not opened when I 

 took it, yet it darted at me with fury. Before I had had it six days it would 

 swallow in a passion everything that came near it. I fed it on bird's flesh, 

 and was obliged to continue this food for a long' time before it could feed 

 itself. Its motions were so quick in jumping or moving that it would 

 overthrow any cups of food Avhich happened to be in its way. Its tail 

 grew very slowly. It was never entirely tamed ; it would dart at my 

 bands and face, attacked every thing which came too near it, and even the 

 other birds. It ate the poultry paste in great quantities, and discharged in 

 proportion, which made it very dirty ; I have even seen it, like the ostrich, 

 eat its own excrements. Its short and climbing feet are so a^vkward that 

 it cannot walk ; it makes two or three jumps, but flies very well." 



" Though cunning and solitary," says Buff"on, " the cuckoos may be 

 civen some sort of education. Several persons of my acquaintance have 

 reared and tamed them. They feed them on minced meat, either dressed 

 or raw, insects, eggs, soaked bread, and fruit. One of these tamed cuckoos 

 knew its master, came at his call, followed him to the chase, perched 

 on his gun, and if it found a cherry tree in its way it would fly to it, and 

 not return till it had eaten plentifully ; sometimes it would not return to 

 its master for the whole day, but followed him at a distance, flying from 

 tree to tree. In the house it might range at will, and passed the night on 

 the roost. Tlie excrement of this bird is white, and in great quantities ; 

 this is one of the disagreeables in rearing it. Great care must be taken 

 to keen it from the cold from autumn till winter ; this is the critical period 

 for these birds, at least it was at this time that I lost all which I bad 

 tried to rear, besides many other birds of a different species " 



THE MINOR GRAKLE. 



Graccula religiosa, Linnjsus ; Mine ou Mainate, Buffon ; Der Mino oder 

 Flauderer, Bechstein. 



This bird is the size of a blackbird, ten inches and a half 

 long, of which the tail measures three, and the beak one 

 and a half. The feathers on the side of the head are short, 



