432 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [anNO 1788. 



kind, a full account of which was given by Henry Cavendish, Esq. in the 66th 

 volume of the Philos. Trans. ; but as they have been moved from the situations 

 they had at that time, it may not be amiss to mention how they are placed now, 

 in order the better to show what degree of accuracy may be expected from them. 

 There being no one situation for a thermometer out of doors so good as could be 

 wished, it became necessary to make use of 2 thermometers ; each is placed out 

 of a three pair of stairs window, one facing e.n.e. and the other w.s.w. and they 

 stand about 2 or 3 inches from the wall, that they may be the more exposed to 

 the air, and the less affected by the heat and cold of the house. As the sun shines 

 on the eastern part of the building in the morning, the thermometer to the west- 

 ward is made use of for the morning observation during that season of the year 

 when the sun rises high enough to affect the other ; for all other observations, 

 that to the eastward is employed. Neither the building opposite, nor that on 

 the south side of the thermometer to the east, are elevated above it in an angle 

 of more than 1 3° ; but the opposite building is not more than 25 feet distant. 

 The thermometer to the westward will not be affected by any other building than 

 one to the northward, which is elevated above it in an angle of 20°, and which is 

 only 20 feet distant. The thermometer within doors is placed close to the baro- 

 meter, the heights of which it is intended chiefly to correct ; the windows of the 

 room in which they are kept look to the westward, and in winter the room has 

 constantly a fire in it. The vessel which receives the rain is fixed to a chimney 

 at the top of the house, and rises 6 inches above the chimney ; it is not screened 

 from the rain by any building or chimneys, there being none higher than that to 

 which it is fixed. 



XIV. On the Natural History of the Cuckoo. By Mr. Edward Jenner.^ 



p. 219. 



The first appearance of cuckoos in Gloucestershire, the part of England 

 where these observations were made, is about the J 7 th of April. The song of 

 the male, which is well known, soon proclaims its arrival. The song of the 

 female, if the peculiar notes of which it is composed may be so called, is widely 

 different, and has been so little attended to, that I believe few are acquainted 

 with it. I know not how to convey a proper idea of it by a comparison with 

 the notes of any other bird ; but the cry of the dab-chick bears the nearest 

 resemblance to it. 



Unlike the generality of birds, cuckoos do not pair. When a female appears 

 on the wing, she is often attended by 2 or 3 males, who seem to be earnestly con- 

 tending for her favours. From the time of her appearance, till after the middle 

 of summer, the nests of the birds selected to receive her eg'g are to be found in 



* Now Dr. Jenner, the celebrated discoverer of vaccination. 



