70 THE CUCKOO. 



a gentleman, living on the Cheshire side of the river 

 Mersey, opposite Liverpool, was awakened by a kind 

 of chattering noise, interrupted hy the cry of 

 " Cuckoo, cuckoo," in a low plantation near his house, 

 situated amongst the sand-hills, bordering the shores 

 of the estuary, and on looking out, observed a pretty 

 large flock, which, at sun-rise, or soon after, all took 

 to flight. 



Here, then, we have an instance of their being 

 sociably inclined on their arrival; and it would 

 seem that they are equally so when about to leave 

 us: for in a garden in the county of Down, in Ire- 

 land, from the 18th to the 22nd of July, not less 

 than forty Cuckoos were observed, for the most part 

 amongst the gooseberry-bushes, probably collecting 

 the grubs which often infest those plants, and not to 

 eat gooseberries, as the gardener supposed; and it 

 was remarked that they were almost all so sleepy 

 and dozing, as to permit a very near approach, 

 though not quite so near as to admit of being 

 caught by the hand. There happened to be a late 

 brood of Blackbirds, not quite fledged, in a nest. 

 They were discovered by the Cuckoos, who destroyed 

 all but two ; they were seen to tear them in pieces, 

 the gardener actually rescuing one from their grasp, 

 which had its leg and wing severed. Not above three 

 or four were heard to cry " Cuckoo," and then in 

 a sort of hoarse unnatural tone. The greatest num- 

 ber collected towards sun-set, though many remained 

 throughout the day. After the 22nd of July, only 

 one or two remained, which were evidently smaller 

 than the rest, probably the youngest. 



Singular as is its cry, so equally singular and 



