270 THE CUCKOO. 



would be difficult to say, whether we should call them soli- 

 tary birds or not. Usually indeed one only is seen; but not 

 unfrequently three, four, or even more, will assemble upon a 

 tree, and make the air resound with their well-known notes, 

 uttered sometimes as they remain perched, at others as they 

 quiver through the air with an odd sort of wild fluttering 

 flight. It appears, however, from good evidence, that they 

 either quit their Winter quarters together, or falling in with 

 each other on the journey, land in little flocks. Some years 

 ago, at dawn of day, early in the Spring, a gentleman living 

 on the Cheshire side of the river Mersey, opposite Liverpool, 

 was awakened by a kind of chattering noise, interrupted by 

 the cry of " Cuckoo, cuckoo," in a low plantation near his 

 house, situated amongst the sand hills bordering the shores 

 of the estuary, and on looking out observed a pretty large 

 flock, which at sunrise, or soon after, all took to flight. 



Here, then, we have an instance of their being sociably 

 inclined on their arrival ; and it would seem that they are 

 equally so when about to leave us : for in a garden in the 

 county of Down, in Ireland, from the 18th to the 22nd of 

 July, not less than forty Cuckoos were observed for the 

 most part amongst the gooseberry-bushes, probably collect- 

 ing the grubs which often infest those plants, and not to eat 

 gooseberries, as the gardener supposed ; and it was remarked 

 that they were almost all so sleepy and dozing, as to permit 

 a very near approach, though not quite so near as to admit 

 of being caught by the hand. There happened to be a late 

 brood of Blackbirds, not quite fledged, in a nest. They were 

 discovered by the Cuckoos, who destroyed all but two ; they 

 were seen to tear them in pieces, the gardener actually 

 rescuing one from their grasp, which had its leg and wing 

 severed. Not above three or four were heard to cry, 

 " Cuckoo," and then in a sort of hoarse unnatural tone. 

 The greatest number collected towards sunset, though many 

 remained throughout the day. After the 22nd of July, only 

 one or two remained, which were evidently smaller than the 

 rest, probably the youngest. 



Singular as is its cry, so equally singular, and equally 



