CUCKOO. INSESSORES. CUCULUS. 401 



breast, and upper parts, deep bluish- grey, darkest upon 

 the wing- coverts. The whole of the belly, thighs, 

 and under tail-coverts white, with transverse black bars. 

 Inner webs of the quill-feathers with oval white spots. 

 Tail black, with a few small white oblong spots along 

 the shafts of the feathers, the tips white. Legs lemon- 

 yellow, the outer hind-toe being reversible. The female 

 differs in no respect from the male. 



PLATE 43. Fig. 1. Represents a young Cuckoo, as receiving 



food from its foster-parent, a Meadow-pipit. 

 The upper parts of the plumage are of a deep clove-r^rown General 

 colour, tinged with grey, margined and spotted with t^n" 1 

 reddish-brown. Feathers upon the forehead margined Young 

 with white, and on the hind part of the head is a patch 

 of white. The oval spots on the inner-webs of the 

 quills reddish-brown. Throat and under parts yellow- 

 ish-white, with transverse black bars. Irides liver- 

 brown. Legs and toes primrose-yellow. 

 The young females have more of the reddish-brown dis- 

 posed over their plumage, and have little or no appear- 

 ance of the white patch upon the forehead and hind part 

 of the head. In this plumage, and till after the second 

 moult, they answer to Cuculus hepaticus. 



VOL. I. C C 



