230 BRITISH LAND BIRDS. 



labours of other birds nest-building, and rearing 

 their young answers some useful end in the 

 economy of nature. 



The cuckoo feeds on insects and their cater- 

 pillars, and as these are highly injurious to trees, 

 it doubtless does great service. It beats for its 

 food in the trees, and it is probable that its 

 peculiar feet, long wings and tail, and soft plum- 

 age, enable it to hunt among the leaves, in places 

 where other insect-eating birds cannot reach. 

 Judging by the young bird, the cuckoo is a raven- 

 ous eater; for it requires more labour to feed a 

 single one of them, than to raise a whole brood of 

 the species into whose nests they intrude. 



The BEE-EATER is so rare a bird in England, that 

 it can scarcely be considered British. It is most 

 gorgeous in the richness of its colouring ; brilliant, 

 in blue and green shades, and tinged with beau- 

 tiful iridescent hues. It is about the size of the 

 thrush, and takes its food on the wing, living 

 chiefly on winged insects, particularly those of the 

 bee kind. In Egypt this bird is called "bee's- 

 enerny." 



The HOOPOE is a singular looking, but very 

 beautiful bird, and comes a straggler to our isles ; 

 occasionally breeding here, but disappearing at 

 the end of the summer. It finds its food some- 

 what as the creeper and nuthatch do ; and builds 



