THE KETURN OF THE BIRDS. 23 



O cuckoo ! shall I call thee bird ? 

 Or but a wandering voice ? 



" While I am lying on the grass, 



Thy loud note smites my ear ! 

 From hill to hill it seems to pass, 

 At once far off and near ! 



" Thrice welcome, darling of the spring ! 



Even yet thoti art to me 

 No bird, but an invisible thing, 

 A voice, a mystery." 



The black-billed is the only species found in my 

 locality, the yellow-billed abounds farther south. 

 Their note or call is nearly the same. The former 

 sometimes suggests the voice of a turkey. The call 

 of the latter may be suggested thus : k-k-k-k-k-kow , 

 kow, kow-ow, kow-ow. 



The yellow-billed will take up his stand in a tree, 

 and explore its branches till he has caught every 

 worm. He sits on a twig, and with a peculiar sway- 

 ing movement of his head examines the surrounding 

 foliage. When he discovers his prey, he leaps upon 

 it in a fluttering manner. 



In June the black-billed makes a tour through the 

 orchard and garden, regaling himself upon the 

 canker-worms. At this time he is one of the tamest 

 of birds, and will allow you to approach within a 

 few yards of him. I have even come within a few 

 feet of one without seeming to excite his fear or sus- 

 picion. He is quite unsophisticated, or else royally 

 n different. 



