142 BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



Cucfeoo. 



THE Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus, Linnaeus) is a well-known 

 spring migrant to the British Isles. It is also a summer 

 visitor to Europe, as well as most portions of Asia. In 

 the autumn it migrates to Central Africa and Southern 

 India. The adult male has the head, neck behind, nape 

 and back, dark ash colour; wing-coverts, darker ash colour; 

 primaries, dusky, with oval white spots on the inner webs ; 

 tail, blackish, with some of the webs spotted with white, 

 and all the tail-feathers tipped with white; throat and 

 upper breast, pale ash colour ; under parts, dullish white, 

 with transverse black bars ; irides and feet, yellow ; bill, 

 dusky; base beneath, yellowish. Length, about thirteen 

 inches. The female is similar to male. The young 

 on upper parts are warm brown with darker transverse 

 markings. 



