212 THRUSH AND CUCKOO. 



manifesting the greatest anxiety to satisfy its con- 

 tinual cravings for food*. 



The following is a still more extraordinary in- 

 stance, corroborating the above, and for the truth of 

 which we can vouch in every particular. A young 

 Thrush, just able to feed itself, had been placed in 

 a cage; a short time afterwards, a young Cuckoo, 

 which could not feed itself, was introduced into the 

 same cage, a large wicker one, and for some time it 

 was with much difficulty fed ; at length, however, it 

 was observed that the young Thrush was employed 

 in feeding it, the Cuckoo opening its mouth and 

 sitting on the upper perch, and making the Thrush 

 hop down to fetch food up. One day, when it was 

 thus expecting its food in this way, the Thrush see- 

 ing a worm put into the cage could not resist the 

 temptation of eating it, upon which the Cuckoo im- 

 mediately descended from its perch, and attacking 

 the Thrush, literally tore one of its eyes quite out, 

 and then hopped back : the poor Thrush felt itself 

 obliged to take up some food in the lacerated state 

 it was in. The eye healed in course of time, and 

 the Thrush continued its occupation as before, till 

 the Cuckoo was full grown. 



The Fly-Catchers form the third genus of the 

 notched-billed birds : we have but two sorts in our 

 country; and one of these, the Pied Fly-catcher 



* In dissecting a young Cuckoo, killed August 20, 1833, 

 about twenty full-grown caterpillars, of the peacock butterfly 

 (Pap. Io), were found undigested. The stomachs of these 

 birds are remarkable for having a coating of hair, which, when 

 dried and turned inside out, looks very similar, in colour, size, 

 and form, to a mouse's head. 



