The Rook an Observer of the Sabbath. 203 



A NURSE UPON THE BACK OF HER 

 NURSLING. 



Still another note auent the cuckoo and wagtail, fur- 

 nished by my friend Colonel R., who is resident near me. 

 Some years ago, stepping out upon his lawn, he was sur- 

 prised to see a hawk, as he supposed it, with a wagtail 

 sitting perched upon its shoulders. Drawing nearer, 

 however, he discovered that the supposed hawk was a 

 young cuckoo, and the wagtail, its foster-mother, feeding 

 it. Watching them for a time, he saw the latter go and 

 come, at each return bringing grub or worm in its beak, 

 and transferring it to that of the voracious young monster, 

 who ill deserved to be so assiduously catered for. On 

 several occasions afterwards Colonel R. was witness to a 

 repetition of this curious spectacle; and alike on the 

 following year, the wagtail, as he supposed, being the 

 same, the cuckoo, of course, different, but likely a 

 younger brother or sister of that the beguiled bird had 

 taken such pains to nurse on the preceding year. 



THE ROOK AN OBSERVER OF THE SABBATH. 



A clerical friend, a rector of long experience, who has 

 given much attention to the habits of rooks, tells me that 

 these birds quite understand the difference between 

 Sundays and week-days. He speaks more particularly 

 of those that breed about churches, and their behaviour, 

 noted by him scores of times, is fair proof of the fact, 

 however singular it may seem. Shy enough during the 

 other days of the week, on Sundays they will be compara- 



