196 History of Nature. [BooK X. 



son in Summer, and afterwards appeareth no more. It is 

 the only one of the Hawks that hath no hooked Talons, nor 

 is its Head like theirs, nor is it like them in anything but 

 Colour ; and the Gape of the Mouth more resembleth that of 

 the Dove. Nay, the Hawk will devour it if they appear 

 together ; and it is the only Bird of all others that is killed 

 by those of its own kind. It altereth its Voice also. In the 

 Spring it cometh abroad, and at the rising of the Dog-star it 

 hideth itself. It lays always in other Birds' Nests, and most 

 of all in the Stock-doves', commonly one Egg only, which 

 no other Bird doth besides ; and seldom two. The Reason 

 why they place their Young under other Birds is because 

 they know that all Birds hate them, for even little Birds 

 annoy them ; therefore, that the whole Race of them should 

 not be utterly destroyed, they make no Nest of their own, 

 being otherwise timorous in their Nature. The Nurse, there- 

 fore, bringeth up the substituted Chick in the adulterated 

 Nest. And this young Cuckoo, being Greedy by Nature, 

 intercepteth the Meat from the other young Birds, and so 

 groweth fat ; whereby it cometh into favour with the Nurse. 

 She rejoiceth in its Appearance, and wonders at herself that 

 she hath hatched such a Chick. The rest, which are her 

 own, she condemns in comparison with this one, as being 

 Strangers, and suffereth them to be devoured before her 

 Face; and at last the young Cuckoo, being able to fly, 

 seizeth also her Nurse. And by that Time no other Bird 

 is to be compared to the young Cuckoo for Sweetness of 

 Flesh. 



CHAPTER X. 

 Of the Milvus. 1 



THE Milvus is of the same Kind of Hawks, but it differs 

 in size. This hath been observed in them : that being a 

 most ravenous Bird, and ever hungry, yet they are never 

 known to snatch any Food from the Dishes of the Funeral 

 Feasts; nor from the Altar of Olympia; nor will they pluck it 



1 Falco mihus, LINN.; Milvus vulgaris, YARKELL. The Kite, or 

 lead. Wern. Club. 



