158 THE BIRDS OF SHERWOOD FOREST. 



denied by many others ; I disbelieve it myself, for I have 

 positive proof that the note is uttered by both sexes, 

 from having shot the female when thus engaged. I 

 have met with equally undeniable proof of its egg-suck- 

 ing propensities, for a friend of mine shot one in a garden 

 a short distance from my own, his attention having been 

 drawn to it by the well-known cry. As he went into 

 the garden the bird rose from the foot of the hedge, and 

 was immediately brought down ; when he picked it up 

 it was not quite dead, and as he held it, it laid an egg in 

 his hand, thus being another instance of the female 

 uttering the cry. The bill of this bird was covered with 

 yolk of egg, which was also spread over the feathers at 

 the base. On proceeding to the spot from which it rose, 

 the cause of this was at once seen ; for there was the 

 nest of a pied wagtail, with all the eggs broken. It 

 seemed as if the cuckoo had greedily plunged her bill 

 amongst them, and thus smeared the yolk over the 

 feathers of her face. 



The common cry is uttered both while on the wing 

 and when perching; in the latter case the bird lowers 

 and raises its head at each utterance, spreading out its 

 tail, and partially swinging itself round as if on a pivot 

 at the same time. It has also another note of a very 

 liquid character, resembling the syllable " quille," which 

 I have remarked it repeat quickly five or six times 

 in succession, and generally after it has alighted on 

 a tree. 



The earliest arrival of the cuckoo I have noted was on 

 Feb. 16, 1849. The weather was particularly fine and 

 sunny for the time of the year, and the cry at that un- 

 usual season attracted the attention of a number of 

 persons. It was heard for half an hour on that day, 



