100 CUCKOO. 



vol. iv, page 184: this bird was seen for some days afterwards. 

 Again, in 'Graves' British Ornithology,' the author records 

 that he saw two Cuckoos, on the 26th. and 27th. of August, 

 and heard the former one uttering its well-known note. He 

 too says, that he has known them in October also. On the 

 14th. of October, 1848, one is mentioned by Martin Curtler, 

 Esq., of Bevere House, near Worcester, as having been shot 

 close to that city; but it must probably have been a young 

 bird. Two young ones were shot in a garden near Tralee, in 

 the county of Kerry, on the 5th. of October. 



Occasionally at the time of their departure, considerable 

 numbers of Cuckoos have been seen collected together sixteen 

 were seen flying in company from the north-east end of the 

 Grampian hills, in Scotland, towards the German Ocean, distant 

 about half a mile. Bishop Stanley relates that a gentleman 

 living on the Cheshire side of the Mersey, opposite to Liverpool, 

 was awoke one morning early in the spring the time of their 

 arrival, by a chattering noise, with an occasional 'cuckoo,' in 

 a low plantation near his house, which he found to proceed 

 from a pretty large flock of these birds, which at sunrise, or 

 soon after, took flight: three or four, or more, are not unfre- 

 quently seen together. In the county of Down, in Ireland, 

 from the 18th. to the 22nd. of July, not less than forty were 

 once observed feeding on the caterpillars that infest gooseberry 

 trees. 



In several instances the Cuckoo has been kept, great care 

 being used, through the winter, until the following spring; 

 one for nearly two years, and it was then only killed by 

 accident; and Buffon says y 'Though cunning and solitary, the i 

 Cuckoo may be given some sort of education: several persons 

 of my acquaintance have reared and tamed them. One of 

 these tame Cuckoos knew his master, came at his call, followed 

 him to the chase, perched on his gun, and if it found a cherry 

 tree in its way, it would fly to it, and not return until it 

 had eaten plentifully; sometimes it would not return to its 

 master for a whole day, but followed him at a distance, flying 

 from tree to tree. Jn the house it might range at will, and 

 passed the night on the roost.' 



Not only is the Cuckoo when come to maturity, a bird 

 of marvel, but even from the very first, the chapter of its 

 strange proceedings commences. The instinctive propensity of 

 the young one to turn out of the nest, by forcible ejectment, 

 any other occupants, its lawful tenants by right of primo- 



