Queries and Answers. 473 
himself, but, though food was always placed within his reach, awaited the 
return of his mistress, whose avocations occasioned her absence for two or 
three hours at a time, and then would flutter to the side of the cage, crying 
cuckoo! cuckoo! as if impatient to be fed. I mentioned this to a gentleman 
the day after I had seen the bird, who assured me it was a peculiarity 
natural to a cuckoo never to feed itself, and that the office is performed by 
some other bird. I own I was incredulous, and am so still, having exa- 
mined several histories of the cuckoo, none of which mentions it; nor have 
I met with any one who could confirm it. Certainly the fact of the young 
bird I saw in the cage not feeding himself, though nine months old, is some- 
what corroborative of the gentleman’s assertion. I am, Sir, &c. — F. H. 
St, Alban’s, April 26. 1830. 
The Vocal Powers of the Missel Thrush. — In reference to the communi- 
cation of J. B. on the subject of the vocal powers of the missel thrush, 
(p. 193.), I have to say that I believe it to be perfectly ascertained that the 
missel thrush frequently sings in the manner very accurately described by 
your correspondent. This bird is now common here; though, twenty-five 
years ago, one shot in Auchincruive garden excited surprise, and its species 
was not discovered, even on reference to an ornithological work. As to its 
song, I may add, that, from attentive observation, it is considered almost as 
certainly indicative of bad weather as a falling barometer ; hence it is occa- 
sional, and not confined to any particular season, so that there is scarcely 
a week in all the year within which its song may not be heard. It often 
happens that the woods resound far and near with its powerful melody, on 
a still day in the middle of winter, or very early in spring, when no other 
songster is heard. I have observed them in the mornings in autumn feed- 
ing voraciously on the fruit of the mountain ash, and they roughly beat 
away the redwing fieldfare from sharing this repast, or from feeding on the 
berries of the holly. — Z. Z. Ayr, March, 1830. 
The Missel Thrush. — The communication of J. B. respecting the missel 
thrush is perfectly correct. I can corroborate every assertion made con- 
cerning it from personal observation. In the present year I have heard the 
bird singing many times, and more particularly towards the end of February. 
Indeed, in the part of the country where I reside, the missel thrush 1s 
vulgarly called the storm-cock, intimating that its singing is indicative of 
stormy weather. am, Sir, &c. —T****, R—d. 
The Missel Thrush ; in answer to our correspondent J. B. (p. 193.) —This 
bird seems to have two kinds of song, one not unlike the notes of the 
blackbird, the other very sweet, though in a much lower tone, and more 
nearly resembling those of the common thrush. I have one which I reared 
from the nest, and having been kept about a year near a canary, it has to 
a certain degree acquired its song, as in several notes it has imitated it 
almost to perfection. I have now had it nearly four years, and it has be- 
come a great pet. It eats mostly bread and milk, but eagerly devours snails, 
beetles, &c. It seems to possess a singular antipathy to worms, as it never 
attempts to touch them if offered to it.— James Drummond Marshall. 
Belfast, May 25. 1830. 
Rooks preying on young Birds. — 1s it customary for rooks to despoil 
the nests of the smaller birds, and devour their young? or is the following 
occurrence to be explained upon the supposition that rooks, in large cities, 
finding it difficult to procure worms, &c., to carry to their nests, are glad 
to substitute other prey ? 
As I was passing through Chandos Street, Cavendish Square, soon after 
six o’clock this morning, my attention was attracted to a rook flying low, 
near the walls of some out-buildings, in which were many holes occupied by 
sparrows’ nests. He directed his flight to one of these holes, into which 
he thrust himself as far as possible. It was evident that he was attempting 
to reach something with his bill: but, apparently, he did not succeed ; for 
Vor. LE — No, 15. 15 
